Rejuvenation: Journey through Aevium
by Zedlyfier
Summary: [This is based on the Fan Game Pokemon Rejuvenation. Please play the game before reading this.] Aevis, just another guy who moved to Aevium to become a Pokemon trainer like everyone else. But before even taking his first step into the region, he gets thrown into events that he didn't decide, and people he...semi didn't want to meet.
1. Chapter 1

**Rejuvenation**

 **I don't own Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I did, they would suck. A lot.**

…

"Here's your trainer card! It's not verified yet, but you're one step closer to participating in the Aevium League!"

I lightly nod in response to the enthusiastic woman's message, mumbling a "Thanks".

"You're welcome. A bit of advice I have for you is to be a bit more talkative, you never know when you need it." She advised. I sighed, and nodded again, keeping the card in my pocket, I walked out of the small room.

I've heard a lot of people tell me that I should talk more.

You know what I think?

…

…

…

They're probably right, but I'm not exactly a social person.

Walking out, I look around S.S. Oceana's interior. It was fancy, that's for sure. Elegant decorations were everywhere, and aI had to rub my eyes at how shiny the chandeliers were. Multiple double door rooms were there from top to bottom.

"There you are, Aevis!"

 **(A/N: I** **think** **this is the canon name. Not 100% sure though.)**

I turn my head to see a woman with bright pink hair, wearing a white shirt with a long sleeved blue shirt underneath, along with a white skirt. She also had a pink and white hat on top of her head. This was my mom, Nancy.

"Did you get registered into the Aevium League sweetie?" She asked with an innocent smile. I nod.

"Yes, mom. Not verified, but…one step closer, I guess." I shrug with an unsure look on my face. My mom pouted and crossed her arms.

"Come on, Aevis, I know you're still getting settled with the idea of moving, but you should tackle each day like it's your last. You never know what new opportunities you could take in Arvium." She encouraged. I raise an eyebrow, which she probably couldn't see because of my black and green cap and my hair that partially covered my eye. I sighed.

"I'll try, I guess." I responded. Mom didn't seem too satisfied, but accepted my answer.

"Don't look so glum, Aevis, come with me." She turned around and followed her towards two large double doors in the center of the first floor.

"When we're close to Gearen City, a feast will be held here with everyone inside." She said enthusiastically, clasping her hands together. She turned back to me, noticing that my expression hasn't changed.

"I know you're just going to read your books if I leave you alone, so how about you go upstairs and meet the captain? He's a good friend of mine, and you could use some social interaction, and try talking to some of the ship's residents, they're nice people. I know you're shy, but please?" She suggested with a smile. I sigh, and nodded hesitantly.

"Fine." I reluctantly replied. She beamed.

"I still have some things to take care of so take care!" She bid farewell as she went down the stairs to the lower rooms.

Sighing, I put my hands into the pockets of my black jacket with slight green outlines. I wasn't edgy or something…I just wasn't a fan of talking to people I barely know…or talking to people…period.

With nothing better to do, and deciding to at least try to talk to people, I head upstairs, where I heard piano music playing. Reaching the top, there was a young woman and her Jigglypuff by the piano, the former playing it rather elegantly as music played through the air.

Chairs and tables surrounding the pianist and her Pokemon were crowded with all sorts of people and Pokemon. One of the audience members in particular had his eyes observing her…assets.

I rolled my eyes, and continued to walk upstairs. Didn't want to be in the spotlight, or disturb them or for something else to happen. I went up the stairs into the smaller hallway leading into the captain's room. I raise my fist to the door, about to knock.

…

…

…

Damn it me, just knock on the damn door already.

…

 _*knock knock*_

"Come in!" A hearty voice called from the other side. Gulping lightly, I open the door.

The room was about what anyone would expect from a fancy ship, a red carpet with a gold outline, two large sofas on the opposite sides of the room, several pictures of previous captains hung on the wall, and a sturdy brown desk, where behind sat a man in a Black Captain's uniform, along with a white beard and a captain's hat.

"Ah! You must be Nancy's child, yes? Come in, come in!" He greeted, gesturing towards the right sofa. I slowly walk towards the sofa, sitting down.

"Would you like some water?" The captain asked, holding up a glass of water. I nod lightly. The captain stood up and walked in front of me, handing me the glass of water. I take a sip.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"So, you're moving to the Aevium Region, huh? Planning on taking on the League challenge?" He asked, sitting down on the sofa opposite to me. I shrug.

"I guess so." Mom made me get a trainer card, telling me it would be a nice way to get out of the house more. I wasn't against it, but wasn't too on board with the decision either. Would the Pokemon even want to get caught by me?

"Well, here's a bit of advice for you. The Aevium League consists of 18 Gym Leaders, that's ten more than the usual in other regions, it's also an Elite 8 compared to an Elite 4." He explained. I tilt my head at that. Wasn't that a bit excessive? Then again though, I've read that Aevium's still a new region, so maybe not.

"If you're planning on being a trainer, I suggest for you to take good care of your Pokemon. Have you ever owned a Pokemon before?" I shook my head in response.

"You didn't get one when you were ten? Heard that was the age where mothers would send their kids to the outside world on their own." The Captain mused. I shook my head.

Ten seemed a bit too young, guess they got that idea from the ten-year olds who saved the world at that age…and became Champion…lucky...Then again though, a lot of people got their Pokemon at ten years lld.

I…wasn't too fond of going outside, so I didn't get one. He didn't need to know that though.

"Oh…" The Captain drawled as if just realizing something.

"Ah, yes! I haven't even introduced myself yet, silly me." He held out a hand in front of me. "Captain Augustus, Current and Proud Captain of the S. S. Oceana." He introduced. I took his hand.

"…Aevis." I mumbled, releasing the handshake and taking another sip of of my water. He sighed. Was he disappointed I was being so reclusive? Damn it Aevis now-

"Ah yes! The Banquet will be starting soon. I shall head there now. Feel free to come if you wish, I'm sure your mother would love for you to enjoy yourself there." He spoke, interrupting my thoughts as he smiled and headed out the door.

…

I sighed, placing the empty glass of water on his desk, heading out the office myself.

That went better than I was expecting…Then again though I had no general idea of what I was expecting to begin with.

I went down the stairs once more, passing by the now empty room where that Piano Girl was playing. Heading down, I stood in front of the two doors, about to head in-

"Are you so excited that you're willing to leave your own mother behind?"

I turned around, finding my mom smiling with her arms crossed. I wanted to say that I thought she was already inside, but came out as a mumbled "Sorry."

"It's fine. I was only joking. Come on!" She replied enthusiastically, opening the large double doors as we walked in.

A humungous room awaited us, multiple sets of chairs and tables filled with people. In the middle back was a large stage, where the Captain stood and the Piano Girl from before sat in front of a different Piano, as well as what I assumed to be her Jigglypuff still singing on the Piano.

The walls were decorated with some sort of fancy design carved onto white walls, the floor covered by a large carpet with gold outlines once more, and the ceiling was decorated with chandeliers with candles burning brightly.

The furniture consisted of square shaped tables with a white cloth over them, gold outlining the fabric. The chairs were dark brown clean, the back arching to some sort of design.

It was luxurious to say the least.

"Wow…" I drawled, looking around the room. This almost felt too much just for one trip to another region.

"Aevis, let's go to our table." Mom spoke, pulling my hand and leading me to our table.

The table ended up being really close to the stage, probably one of Mom's bonuses for knowing the captain. We sat down and patiently awaited for the event to begin.

I turned my head and glanced around the room. Behind me was a woman, pure black hair with piercing red eyes, along with a large tall Pokemon, black and purple. If those books I read about Pokemon were right, it was a Gothitelle.

…

I don't know why…

But there's a sense of familiarity from her.

Probably just me.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

I don't know-

"Greetings!"

My thoughts were interrupted as the Captain on stage started with the banquet.

"It is my honor to be your host for this event, and as the proud captain of this mighty vessel, I do wish you all to remember this moment. I thank you all for joining us on this ride, and although we never may see each other again, I want you all to remember this moment. A moment where we all came together to eat, to enjoy, to live life to the fullest." He spoke, a round of applause roaring from the passengers of the ship.

The Captain bowed slightly, and raised a wine glass.

"I shan't keep you any longer, Bone, Apetit!"

And with that, the people began to eat, chatting amongst themselves about…whatever it is they did. I wouldn't judge.

"Let's dig in, Aevis!"

My Mom said enthusiastically, holding a fork and knife in her hands.

I pick up my own utensils, and begin eating the food in front of me…

Well, at least I would've, anyways.

" _ **AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

…

…

…

The scream seemed to echo off the walls of the room, the once chattering passengers reduced to a deathly silence.

Turning towards the entrance of the room, was an…unpleasant, sight.

Unpleasant was a pretty bad word to describe it.

After all…

A man, face planted onto the ground, and what was once his right arm was now a stump, staining the carpet scarlet, his lifeless corpse unmoving, would be more than unpleasant.

…

Terrified would have been a good way to describe how I was feeling at the moment.

I should be yelling.

I should be screaming in terror.

I should be...doing something.

Yet, I stayed still, frozen. I couldn't even move if I tried. My mind went numb.

…

I remained frozen.

"WOOP-WOOP!"

A loud…woop-woop, echoed through the room, as someone with a pure black uniform with a red X over the shirt walked over the lifeless corpse. I couldn't make out anything else other than what he or she looked like…I was too scared to look closer.

I remained frozen.

"There's a troll in the dungeon! There's a troll in the dungeon!" A girl voice yelled out childishly.

I heard the mic on stage be tapped, a gruff voice coughing.

"W-We don't even have a dungeon!" The Captain's voice responded. The X Girl giggled loudly, and pulled out…a remote device.

"That's cause I'm the troll…and there's actually a bomb in the basement."

…

…

…

" **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

A Male voice screeched as he tried to run for dear life, running towards the exit despite the girl still being there.

The girl raised an arm towards the man, a black, thin silhouette suddenly jumping from the door

"Arbok, Crunch!"

"CHA!"

…

I did not want to see what happened to him.

I remained frozen.

The woman talked about something, probably something threatening, probably something that would end my life right now, end all of our lives, but I…my mind tuned it out. I didn't understand anything she said.

I _couldn't_ understand. My mind was clustered….and-

"Get Aevis out of here, NOW!"

"Gothitelle."

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

…

For a moment, I didn't see anything.

Blackness as far as the eye can see.

…

The next moment, I was inside the Captain's office.

…

…

…

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I screamed out loud, alone inside the office. I leaned against the desk behind me and started hyperventilating, holding a hand to my chest. The fuck just happened?!

"What?! What?! What?! What the fuck?!"

I desperately yelled out. I didn't understand anything, and I didn't need to. Life was fucking me over right now.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuckedy fuckberries-!"

 _*CRASH*_

"SWEET LORD HELIX!"

I jump at the sound, collapsing onto the floor sat down as I saw…a red tentacle, just wiggling there.

 _*CRASH*_

"AAAAHHHH!"

I jump again, seeing another tentacle appear to my left.

What…what the fuck was this…this thing?!

…

I remained frozen.

…

…

…

I eventually mustered up the will to stand up…what happened?

There was…an Arbok, I think. Something about a troll…a bomb…and then-

"MOM!"

I immediately rushed to the Captain's office exit...but my was trembling as it reached the door knob.

…

I breathed in deeply, though I was still hyperventilating on the inside.

I rushed out the captain's office, and headed down the stairs. Everything was either broken, or broken. The wooden floor was rickety and in pieces, the decorations on the floor crumbled to the ground, and for the God-damned life of me debris was everywhere, forcing me to take a quick side route.

"Hey! You're that kid who just disappeared, right?"

I raise my head to see the Piano girl standing before me, her Jigglypuff standing by her feet. I rushed over.

"Have you seen my mom?!" I ask, panicked. Fearful might be a better description though. The Piano girl twirled her hair with a finger.

"The one with the pink hair? Not sure. After the girl set off the bomb the first level started to flood. I retreated back up here, along with a few others." She explained, arms crossed, gesturing her head towards the others behind her.

"Jiggly…" The Pokemon next to her mourned. I shook my head. I needed to find Mom.

"Ask the Captain. I heard he's still down there." She suggested. I nod furiously and sprinted towards the downwards staircase.

"Thank you!" I yell out as I sprinted, waving a bit.

I basically jumped down the stairs, rushing towards the Event Room, seeing the two doors blasted off made me worried…more than I already was anyways. I rushed through the open frame and saw a figure in the dim light.

"CAPTAIN!"

I yell out, seeing the familiar white beard. I stop in front of him, panting as I rested my myself on my knees.

"Aevis! You're alive!"

"Where's…Mom?" I ask, still panting. I'd note that I need to work out more if I wasn't in this situation.

"Calm down, my boy! I saw your mom heading down into the basement. If you plan on following her, I suggest calming down first. Times of recklessness will never lead to good choices."

...

Calm down?! Calm the fuck down?!

Well really fucking sorry for panicking over a fucking BOMB THAT BLEW UP THE ARCEUS-DAMN SHIP!

…

God I do need to calm down.

I placed one of my hands over my chest, taking slow, deep, breaths.

In…

Out…

In…

Out…

In…

Out…

…

"Okay…Okay…" I breathed as the Captain placed a hand over my shoulder.

"I understand you're worried about your mother, but I suggest talking to the people outside first. They're adults who could help you out, who knows what dangers could be down there." He advised.

I heeded his words, and nodded. He nodded back, and turned his back against me, sighing.

"…For now, please leave me be. I…wish to relish what was once my beautiful ship."

…

I sigh sorrowfully, and walk out.

I climbed down the short stairs and saw multiple people at the bottom, two males attempting to block the door…which was flooding the lower half of the boat. I opened my mouth to speak-

"It's no use!" One of the two interrupted.

"It just won't stop!" The other responded, much to the horror of the others based on their reactions. I internally groaned. This just kept getting better and better.

"It's no use!" He repeated.

"Should we use our Pokemon?!"

"WE DON'T HAVE ANY YOU DUMBASS!"

 _*CLICK!*_

"Huh?" The two men echoed while I raised an eyebrow.

Tentacles suddenly burst from the body of water before them, wrapping around their bodies.

" **AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"**

Two Pokemon pop-out, lifeless red-eyes piercing into all of our souls. Their tentacles tightened, soullessly dragging them out of the ship…where I assumed they left them to drown in the deep ocean.

…

…

..

" _ **AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

Literally everyone around me screamed, including me. I subconsciously leaned back into a wall, resting my hand against a nearby stair railing. I was hyperventilating again.

The crowd of people began running anywhere they could to live…I just stood there, like my mind couldn't form a cohesive thought or action to do.

I remained frozen.

"Kid!" I raise my head to see an old lady in front of me.

"Head towards the basement if you want to live! And do it quick!" She exclaimed, rushing along with the crowd to run away-

The basement…The BASEMENT!

I quickly regain control over my body and sprint as fast as I could upstairs, irritating my feet to no end. Damn why the fuck did I wear Leather Shoes today?!

A painter blocked my way…for a brief second before I was lucky…or unlucky enough to see him get swooped away.

Shaking my head to remove the memory of that (un)fortunate event, I headed down the stairs, where, surprise surprise, more water flooded through. Didn't care though, so I jumped in and waddled my way to the basement.

I climbed out of the water, breathing heavily on my knees again…

"I…really…need... to get…out more…" I complained to myself.

"Sylveon!"

I perk up my head at the sound of that familiar Pokemon.

"A-Aevis!"

…

Once the familiar voice reached my ears, I immediately ran up to it.

"M-Mom!" I pant, stopping in front of her and her Sylveon.

"I'm glad you're safe, but what are you doing here?! I thought Crescent teleported you somewhere safe." She questioned, mumbling the last part as she bit her nail. What did she mean by that?

"Doesn't matter right now. I have a Pokemon we can use to Surf out of here, and I don't think that-"

A loud crash blared from the ceiling, a beam of light-

"SYLVEON **LIGHT SCREEN!"**

" _Syl!"_

Faster than I could process what happened, Sylveon spread its ribbons, swiping them through the air, creating a clear wall that blocked some sort of sliver beam attack.

"What was that?!" I exclaimed.

"That was aimed for you, kid."

Me and my mom turned towards the source of the voice. Four balls of metal appeared out of nowhere, forming a square-like shape as a line connected one dot with another.

 **N**

I raise my arm out of instinct as white flash blinded me for a second, and a woman with Purple hair and Black shades took the place of **N.** She juggled a Pokeball in her hand…as Two more of those Tentacle Pokemon were right behind her.

"Who are you? Are you the one behind the attack?" Mom asked warily, holding another Pokeball out in her hand as Sylveon got in a battle stance in front of her. The woman chuckled in response.

"Who I am doesn't matter, Nancy. We came to this ship for one purpose, and that's your apprehension." The woman responded. My mom seemed shocked at this, barely mumbling something.

"They're not here for Aevis…"

…

What did that mean?

My Mom shook her head, snapping out of her trance.

"If you just wanted me why attack the entire ship?! They had nothing to do with this!" Mom questioned.

"Witnesses are such a chore…" She complained, raising an arm into the air. "Enough questions. Deoxys, **Flash Cannon**."

The two Deoxys wordlessly obeyed, firing a double Flash Cannon towards-

" **Light Screen!"**

" _Sylve-on!"_

The two blasts engulfed my vision as Sylveon blocked, but was noticeably straining against the attack. Mom quickly turned towards me, placing her hands on my shoulders…she was…crying?

"Aevis…I'm sorry…but this will be goodbye for now."

…

…

…

W-what…?

 _*CRASH*_

" **GO, NOW!"**

Mom demanded as she pushed me onto the ground, saving me from a third Deoxys' **Zen Headbutt** crashing into the ground…

I…remained frozen…

"M-mom-!" I stutter.

" **I SAID _NOW_ , AEVIS!"**

…

…

…

To be honest, what happened next was blurry to me.

A Piano fell on a Deoxys in front of me…and from there I ran. Where? Who knows. Panic does a lot on the mind after all, if my mind was frozen before, it was basically moving on its own. All I knew was that anywhere was better than on that boat.

If it were only possible to escape said boat.

Eventually, I made it to the front deck, the harsh rain making it hard to see what was in front of me…I was tempted to jump off the boat, even though I knew I'd just drown and splash like a Magikarp…

Another man was there, a cynical grin on his face. And the woman from before was on the front deck too, arms crossed…

…

The man said something, but I didn't understand a word…I was…too tired…and at this rate might as well get a quick death after all.

…

Three more Deoxys surrounded me, centering their tentacles onto their chests, powering up their individual attacks.

And all I could do was watch. I was terrified. What else could I do at this point?

…

…

…

I remained frozen.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

…

"That's…when…Talonflame…showed up."

I finish my story, sipping on a mug of hot chocolate. The woman on the opposite end of the table nodded.

"I…see…I'm sorry."

Sorry? For what? She saved me with her Talonflame…I didn't voice that thought out.

"Your mother was a good friend of mine Aevis. She was always nice to everyone, even a stranger who tried to steal her wallet once…she was always the optimist." She reminisced…

…

Huh.

A ninja must be cutting onions somewhere.

Tesla seemed to notice this too, and sighed, as if debating what to say next.

…

"What are your plans after this?" She asked me. I rub my eyes with the arm of my jacket.

"…I don't know…"

…I really didn't know. Become a trainer? What was the point anymore? To become stronger? For what? My mom's most likely dead, and I knew for a damn fact I couldn't do anything. I'm not some sort of mute 10 year old who's going to save the world and become Champion.

I was no one special.

And…

…I really need to stop thinking about this sort of thing so much. Mom always used to say it made me too edgy…

...Must be more onion chopping going on somewhere.

"Get a Pokemon, I guess…" I follow up. Tesla let out a sad smile, nodding in agreement. She stood up from her seat and led me out of her Yacht warehouse. She patted my shoulder with a smile.

"I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Everything will work out in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end. If you need anything, I'm here." Tesla consoled.

…She was a really nice lady. Didn't know why she was helping someone like me though….

"Head to Gearen Laboratory. They should have starter Pokemon for trainers like you. Just head through the gate and keep going forward." She followed up, holding a Pokeball in her hand.

She sent out her Talonflame and rode through the rainy sea, as if it didn't bother her in the slightest, despite her being on a fire-type Pokemon.

Sighing, I turned my head towards Oceana Pier Gate, ignoring the rain drops falling on my jacket and hat.

…

…

…

I like the rain.

It's a lot easier to hide the tears.

I sighed again, placing my hands into my jacket's pockets. Ignoring the water running down my face, I mumbled to myself.

"Welcome to Aevium."

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

 **And thaaaaaaaat's chapter one!**

…

 **I'm SOOOOOOOO going to regret writing this. I suck at stories and updating them.**

 **After replaying Rejuvenation for the third time, and Where Love Lies, I just really couldn't get this idea out of my head and couldn't really focus on writing other stories, so I made this on a random whim. Pokemon Rejuvenation needs more fan stuff anyways.  
**

 **Is my story good? Probably/Definitely not.**

 **Will there be more? Probably.**

 **Who knows?**

 **If you guys are asking why I made Aevis as an introverted-shy like character, was because he gets referred to a lot as a "Muteopath", and I really couldn't think of a way to avoid him being too much of a Gary Sue.**

 **Is he a Gary Sue? I hope not, still really inexperienced at writing so I don't know. If you guys bave any tips to avoid Gary Sue-ism, then I would greatly appreciate it.**

 **Also, I've heard a lot of people call Reborn and Rejuvenation "Edgy.", I see it used a lot but at this point I really don't know what it means. So clarification on that and whether or not it's a good thing would be greatly appreciated. I have no idea how to do emotional scenes without it sounding too corny/cheesy, and no idea how to actually make people feel…feels. I definitely fail in that regard.**

 **And yes, most likely most of this story will be in 1st POV. Tips on how to do POV would also help.**

 **Damn I'm asking for a lot of tips. Sorry.**

 **The Character design I'll be using is the First Male Option given up until Version 9, the Legacy sprites I think they're called.**

 **Anyways, I'll talk more points on my decisions with this story next chapter, it's really late for me right now. I'm still a noob (I think) when it comes to writing stories.**

 **Thank you for reading this, and have a great day.**

 **P.S. Title ideas? I'm stupid at this stuff.**


	2. Chapter 2

**fRejuvenation**

 **I don't own Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I owned either, they would suck. A lot.**

…

After a quick Trainer Card Verification, I found myself…Um…

Well…basking would imply that it's something beautiful. Not sure what the correct term is, but despite Gearen city's large corporate buildings with the scent of "success", the sky was grey, a feeling of uneasiness was in the air, and I could tell there was some sort of hostility around the city.

I think gloomy would be the best word to describe it. Definitely gloomy.

I walked straight forwards, walking on the purple-lit path, and entered Gearen Laboratory. When I entered there was girl before me, the same one who signed me up for my Trainer Card. Amanda, I think her name was.

"Oh, hey! You're the new kid right? Aevis? I think? You're a bit late, you know that?" She questioned, arms crossed over her white T-Shirt. When I stayed silent, she shrugged.

"Eh, don't worry about it. Everyone's nervous sometimes. Come on! Professor Jenner's going to give you your first Pokemon!" She continued enthusiastically, flicking her nose. It was a lot more than nerves that kept me late, but I stayed silent, again.

She guided me through Gearen Laboratory, which looked like a broader Pokemon Center. The Nurse Joys, the bookshelves in the lobby, but the TV was a nice touch, as well as the Mini-Mart in the corner. The Scout guided me towards the leftmost-gate, where Amanda and the woman behind the counter had a quick chat, before the woman opened the gate.

"Welp, time to get your starter, newbie! Let's go!" She expressed enthusiastically.

"Amanda."

Amanda seemed to freeze up at the new voice. I turned behind me, where a man with a similar attire to Amanda was walking towards us. I cautiously stepped back.

"I thought I heard you out here. Where have you been these past few weeks?" He started, arms crossed over a red T-shirt. Amanda sheepishly scratched the back of her neck.

"Oh…you know, busy, and stuff." The man noticeably rolled his eyes.

"Really. While you've been out there doing "stuff", I've been finishing our little project." The man made quotation marks with his fingers, before pulling something out from an inside pocket of his black jacket.

"Anyways, since you're here now, I need you to deliver something to Zumi. She's currently in Magnolia library. Hop to it."

"Yeaaaaaaah-well here's the thing, I'm kind of tied up with Aevis at the moment…" She sheepishly replied, twirling a bit of her long black hair.

"Oh. A new trainer? Nice to meet you. Name's Jan, Amanda's brother." Jan turned my way, offering a handshake. I responded in kind.

"Aevis."

"Jan here co-manages the league with me!" Amanda…boasted? With her arms crossed. Jan noticeably rolled his eyes, again.

"Yeah. I co-manage by doing everything Amanda's supposed to be doing as she plays outside and does "stuff"." He complained, making quotation marks with his fingers again. Amanda pouted.

"Oh come on! You know I'm better with hands on-stuff! Besides, you're the one who doesn't fall asleep while doing paperwork, and I'm the one who talks more, so it's a win-win!" She responded. I raise an eyebrow at that. Why was she managing the league?

"…Touché." Jan responded. "Anyways, if you're not going to deliver the package, I'll do it myself. Make sure Aevis gets a nice Pokemon, got it?"

"Yes sir!" Amanda responded, saluting. "You go do that now."

"Alright, see you two later." And with that, Jan left us.

…

Always wondered what it would like to have a sibling. Looks like it would've been a nice experience. Wonder if I would've liked a brother or a sister-

"Hey!"

Amanda snapped her fingers in front of me, snapping me out of my trance.

"Come on! The Professor's waiting." She gestures to hurry up as she walked through the sliding door. I kept my hands in my pockets once more and follow-

"Ouch!" I grunted lightly when I accidentally bumped someone going through the door.

"Sorry." I mumbled an apology, not sure if she heard though.

"Sorry about that, please excuse me." She apologized and left as quick as she came, her blonde hair flowing smoothly. I raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and moved on. Climbing up the escalator, I reached the small hallway leading to the Professor's lab. I walked in, seeing Amanda already inside.

"Not much further now." She says, walking straight ahead. The first thing I notice was the large monitor at the end of the room, with the face of a red-headed woman talking with who I guessed was the Professor. Probably a co-worker or something.

"Yes…don't worry about it." The Professor says before cutting off the call. He turned and seemed a bit surprised at me and Amanda's arrival.

"Er, hello." He began, ruffling his blonde hair a bit.

"Jenner, Aevis, Aevis, Jenner. He's the new trainer I was talking about." Amanda introduced us. Jenner coughed lightly and bowed his head.

"Welcome, Aevis! You're new to the Aevium, region, correct?" He asked. I nod my head in response.

"One of few words, I see. Well, I'm the Professor of said region. I administer new Trainers with Pokemon, teaching them what they need to know, and generally oversee any activities done in the lab…That being said, you're a little late…" Jener drawled the last part. Amanda shrugged for me.

"Eh. Probably overslept, or got nervous. He's a bit of a quiet type." Jenner nodded.

"Well, Aevis. If you wish to collect you're very first Pokemon, head towards the door to my left. There will be an elevator that should take you down to the starter selection room. Take your time, and choose wisely." He advised.

I nod my head in thanks and walk towards said room. I rode the elevator down, and my mind was filled with thoughts as the elevator descended.

What Pokemon should I choose? What Pokemon will be available? Will having a Pokemon give me a reason to continue on?

I shake of the last thought. Might as well do what Mom always wanted me to do, probably the best time killer here anyways…I just hope that the Pokemon would actually accept to be owned by me.

 _*DING!*_

Reaching my destination, I walked out of the elevator, widening my eyes for what I saw next.

"Wow…"

Releasing a breath I didn't know I was holding, I basked in the beauty of the place. Some would be underwhelmed, but it was really impressive considering this was underground. Trees and plants scattered throughout the area, sizable rock-like formations, and air that was as if it came directly outside.

…

Then again, the air outside is actually kind of polluted…So this place's air was actually more natural than the one outside-

 _*DING!*_

"Hey!"

"GAH!"

I jump at the unexpected sound coming from behind me…I could see Amanda stifling a giggle under her hand. I sighed.

"Don't…do that…please." I mumbled.

"Sorry! I couldn't just let you make the decision of your life!...Also Professor Jenner's just kinda awkward to be around." She followed up. Professor Jenner was awkward to be around? What would you call me then?

"Anyways, as you could probably already tell, there are three biomes in this underground paradise. Grass types are to the right, Fire types are to the left, and Water is to the back." She started off. She pointed a finger before I could say anything.

"That's not all though!" She pointed her finger to some sort of tall Rainbow-Capsule machine. "If you're indecisive, like 80% of America, you can use that colorful machine over there! It'll randomly drop out a Pokemon for you! Be careful though, once you get one, there's no going back!" She advised.

...

What's an America?

"I have heard of weird legends claiming that it would dish out Pokemon besides the normal 21 Starters…so who knows?" Amanda shrugged. I nodded in understanding.

"Thanks."

"No problem! So go on, git! Tell me when you've chosen a starter."

…

I walked off towards the Grassy Terrain first, it was relatively the closest, and it was the prettiest of the three environments. My clothes were a bit green, so that was a plus. The Terrain was mostly what you'd expect, trees, flowers, grass, and a lot of other nature things.

All of them seemed to be secluded into their own little spot. I approached one of them, the four legged one with a sprout on its back. Bulbasaur, if I remember correctly. I knelt down to it, catching it's attention.

It immediately got up and "spoke".

" _Bulbasaur! Bul-ba!"_

…It was actually adorable. I patted its head lightly and gave it a small smile.

" _Chespin!"_

I turned my head to the side, seeing a Chespin right next to me, proudly pounding its chest with a fist.

" _Chespin Chespin! Ches!"_ I chuckled a bit, but saw that Bulbasaur was a bit…agitated.

" _Bulba! Bulbasaur Bulba!"_

" _Chespin Chespin Chespin Ches-!"_

I was now in the middle of what looked like a Pokemon argument…I really wish I could understand these two.

I looked over the two to observe the other Pokemon. Snivy rolled its eyes and smelled the flowers, Chikorita had a concerned look on its face, Treeko was…facepalming, Turtwig was somewhere in the back which I couldn't see, and Rowlet was on top of a tree, observing...derp-ily.

I sweatdropped, and left, hoping that they wouldn't kill each other-

" _BULBAAAAAAAAAA-!"_

" _CHESPIIIIII-!"_

These Pokemon are probably excited to go on an adventure with basically anyone. Who knows how long they've been down here. Hope that whichever one I choose can deal with me.

…

Next was the Water area. The Terrain consisted of mostly a long river, two bridges connected the forms of land, as well as many smaller ponds, but still had a good bit of greenery. It was like a spring.

I walk over the bridge…where a Popplio sat alone. I raised an eyebrow, and sat down next to it.

…

"Um…Hi." I say after a moment of silence. Popplio seems to finaly notice my presence and…"spoke". I really needed a better name for that.

" _Pop! Pop Poplio!"_ It beamed, clapping its fins. A small smile escaped my lips as I patted its head.

…I'm going to be thinking adorable a lot here.

I stood up, and waved to the Popplio…which made it look sad. Now I feel guilty.

…

I crossed the bridge, and-

" _OSHA!"_

An Oshawoot immediately sprinted towards me, proudly presenting its shell to me with a smile that reached ear-to-ear. I tilted my head at that…This guy was certainly excitable.

" _Osha Osha Oshawott! Osha!"_

…

I…guilt-fully walked past it…and it followed me…Clinging onto my leg.

Trying to ignore the Water type beside my foot, I observed the other Water type starters. Squirtle and Mudkip were…Poke-talking, Froakie was meditating, Totodile was playing in the water, and Piplup was waddling around.

As much as I knew these starters, I don't actually remember their final evolutions too much, so again, I was a bit more hesitant in just outright choosing a Pokemon.

" _Osha Osha Osha Osha Osha!"_ Oshawott stopped in front of me…using Baby-Doll Eyes…was it the actually move? Probably not…but it might as well be. Those large blue eyes were piercing through my soul.

…

I know I said I have no preference in Pokemon…but I still should check the others first…

…

Don'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUpDon'tPickItUp

…

I (somehow) managed to walk away from the Oshawott, moving on to the Fire Type starters…

I felt my guilt crawling down my back as I left the Sea Otter Pokemon. Trying to ignore said guilt, I walked over to the Fire Type Starters. The Terrain was mostly just small land formations, and even a small magma pit.

Torchic was running around…everywhere, it's speed seemingly growing faster and faster, Tepig and Litten were in a friendly battle, what makes me say friendly is that they don't seem to be hating each other, Chimchar and Charmander were playing around, Cyndaquil was eating some berries, and Fennekin was grooming its own fur.

I..was a bit more hesitant to explore this region because-

" _TORCHIC!"_

I jumped as the Chick Pokemon ran by my feet, nearly tripping me. Regaining my balance, I decided to just walk back to the elevator. I know I said I'd check on all of the Pokemon…but…it just seemed like they could accidentally…burn me…Especially Cyndaquil. Wasn't a fan of that happening to me anytime soon. I walked back towards the beginning, where The Scout waited for me.

"So, did you pick one yet?" Amanda asked, noticing my return. I shook my head…and pointed towards the Randomizer.

"Indecisive huh? Welp, I won't stop you." She responded. I nodded in thanks, walking over to the device. Why did I choose the Randomizer? No reason in particular. I have no idea what kind of gyms Aevium is going to have, or what other Pokemon is going to be available to me…So might as well leave it up to fate, right? Might sound like a cop-out, and it probably is. Whatever, didn't care much at the moment.

Pressing the button to start the machine, it immediately flashed each of its individual colors, one at a time, circulating the colors, as if roulette spinning. Amanda walked beside me.

"Man, haven't seen this thing running up in a while, let's see where Destiny takes you." She nudged my arm, but I didn't pay much attention to her as I observed the rouletting machine.

Red…Blue…Green…Blue…Red…

Blue…

Green.

The Capsule opened, revealing a Bipdeal Grass-Type Pokemon. It looked around the room with its yellow eyes, it's dark green tail warily moving from side-to-side. I heard Amanda whistled beside me, patting my back.

"Looks like you got a Treeko! That's a cool Pokemon!" The Scout exclaimed beside me. I didn't pay much attention to her as the Pokemon stared at me with its narrowed irises. It jumped down from the Randomizer, landing its three-digit feet onto the grass, which noticeably made it less tense.

" _Tree?"_ It made a confused cry. I cautiously knelt down to its level.

"…Uh…Hi?" I started. Not what I would call a good start.

It cautiously approached me, tilting its head. I slowly raised an arm, reaching to pat its head. It seemed confused by the notion, but didn't react.

…

Okay this was getting nowhere.

"…You want to be my Pokemon?" I asked out of the blue. It blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice. Before eagerly raising up a three-digit hand.

" _Tree-ko!"_ I release a breath of relief I didn't know I was holding. I slowly stood back-up, and turned back to Amanda…who had an offended expression on her face.

"Wow. You've said more words to that Treecko than you did to me." She pouted, arms crossed. I nervously scratched my neck.

"Sorry." I muttered, but audible enough for her to hear…She instantly noogie-ed me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"It's okay! It's actually kinda cute on how quiet you are!" She exclaimed as she continued to noogie me with a closed fist…I subconsciously covered my face with my hat.

"Oh! Yeah, you should probably take its Pokeball now, it should be over on the Randomizer." She gestured towards the machine, where a lone Pokeball was waiting. I walked towards the machine, slowly picking up the Pokeball. It was actually pretty light. I glanced at Treecko, who seemed uncaring at the moment.

"Yo, Aevis! Here." Amanda got my attention, holding up some sort of red-square device with Treecko's information. Treecko noticed my attention to the device and climbed up my gray jeans, jumping onto my shoulder.

 **Treecko:** _ **The Wood Gecko Pokemon.**_

 _ **Treecko is cool, calm, and collected—it never panics under any situation. If a bigger foe were to glare at this Pokémon, it would glare right back without conceding an inch of ground.**_

 **Ability:** _ **Overgrow**_

 **Moveset:** _ **Absorb, Quick Attack, Acrobatics, Razor Wind**_

I nod as I took in the information given to me. I glanced at Treecko, who was sat down on my shoulder with a neutral look on his face again. Amanda closed the device, and walked away.

"Come on, how about we see how good he is in battle?" I raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as I followed along, Treecko seemed interested at that as it noticeably pumped a hand. We climbed up a small set of stairs, arriving at what looked like a standard Pokemon battle field, surrounded by trees and a grassy terrain.

"Yo!" Amanda called out from one side of the arena, holding out a Pokeball. She threw the Pokeball into the air, dispersing a blue stream of energy, releasing a Litten, standing on four legs.

"Go stand on the other side. I wanna be the first Trainer you battle against." She insisted…I'm so going to lose. I literally have no experience with this. I hesitantly began walking towards the other side, but notice Treecko…crying out its name several times, pumping its fist towards my face…it was…encouraging me?

" _Tree-ko!"_

…

I sighed, but nodded, a small smile present on my face. Reaching my side of the arena, Treecko took his slot, legs stretched out and arms open. Amanda raised an arm to the sky.

"Alright, let the match…"

…

"BEGIN!" She finished, swiping an arm.

"Litten, start with **Ember!** " The Fire-Type's mouth glowed orange, before launching a rain of Fiery pellets. I swiped an arm…yes I know it's overdramatic but it looked cool, okay?

"Dodge it!" Treecko sprinted away as the attack trailed him from behind, the pellets burning the ground slightly.

" **Quick Attack!"** Treecko quickly changed course for Litten, swiftly dashing towards the Fire-cat. Amanda grinned widely at this.

" **Fake out!** " Amanda commanded.

Litten instantly leapt towards Treecko, clapping its paws as a shockwave cut Treecko's attack short, knocking it right back onto the ground, its body dragging across the grassy terrain.

"Treecko!" I called out, but to no avail as Treecko was unmoving as its body uncontrollable shook and its pupils shrunk into his eyes. Amanda flicked her nose, and outstretched a palm towards the Grass-type.

"Full Power! **Flame Charge!** " She commanded.

Litten's body was engulfed in flames as it hastily dashed across the field, burning the tall grass and crashing into Treecko, sending the Grass-type back once again as it was once again dragged across the field, a noticeable smoke trail on its body.

"TREECKO!" I cried out again, my fist clenched. What the hell was I doing? Treecko was damaged greatly and Litten hasn't even taken a single hit.

Treecko seemed to finally regain control over its own body, but was sluggish in picking itself back-up, breathing heavily it got into a stance again...

It turned towards me, giving me a nod, as if to reassure me. I…was genuinely surprised that it still had trust in me…I'm overreacting. It's only been four moves since this battle began. I swiped an arm as I issued my next command.

" **Razor Wind!** " Treecko's tail grew bright blue with energy, before he leapt into the air and swung down, releasing a barrage of crescent-shaped attacks.

"Dodge!" Amanda yelled out. Litten nimbly bounced from place to place, narrowly avoiding each attack that crashed onto the ground. I snapped my fingers.

" **Quick Attack!** " Treecko promptly dashed across the terrain, leaving a white trail.

"Intercept with **Flame Charge!** " Amanda ordered as Litten was once again immersed in flames, hurriedly shooting towards Treecko.

"Change course!" I quickly ordered. Treecko abruptly stopped and side-jumped out of Litten's attack.

" **Acrobatics!** "

Treecko's body blazed bright blue, before unleashing a flurry of kicks, punches and tail slaps so fast that it was nearly leaving afterimages in its path, Litten's flaming attack dispersing at the first strike, before finishing off and throwing Litten over, before it landed back on its four feet, but was noticeably damaged. Amanda whistled.

"See? Now you're getting it!" She complimented…It felt nice to be complimented. It felt even better to finally get a hit in. I glanced at Treecko, who seemed content at that. Well, no point in stopping the pressure now.

" **Absorb!** " Treecko outstretched its palms, unleashing two streams of red energy towards Litten.

"Tank it!" Amanda ordered, which was noticeably an odd move to make. The two streams latched onto Litten, absorbing its energy as it flowed right back into Treecko. Litten was noticeably getting more and more strained the longer the attack kept going.

"You can do it Litten!" Amanda encouraged, which made me raise an eyebrow. Why was she so willing to let Litten take damage…?

A moment later, Treecko had released his attack, content with the Health it had absorbed…

Litten seemed unmoving, frozen…until its body suddenly had a burning aura to it. It opened its eyes, a burning sensation behind them as its body was ablaze. Treecko seemed unnerved by this change, and so was I. I tried to figure out what was going on and I could tell Amanda was enjoying my confusion…wait…

Starters had three primary abilities…Overgrow…Torrent…Blaze.

I let out a sharp breath at the realization. Crap.

"Seems like you finally realize it huh? Litten! Finish this off! Full speed **Flame Charge!** " Amanda commanded with a cheeky grin. Litten obeyed immediately, its body burning even hotter than before, and the previous **Flame Charges** giving it a tremendous boost in speed.

"Evade with **Quick Attack!** " I ordered.

Treecko quickly dashed away from the burning furball, but it blurred for a moment, before it instantly intercepted its path, and from that point, Treecko couldn't react in time as it was slammed with the intense heat, thrusted through the air and crashing into a tree outside the arena, erupting a large dust cloud.

"TREECKO!" I cried out in concern as I rushed over towards the impact site, coughing lightly at the dust produced. When the area cleared, there was Treecko, on a slightly cracked tree…With swirls over its eyes. I widened my own eyes as I realized what this meant…

I lost.

…

I lost my very first Pokemon battle…that was…kind of a pathetic thing…Amanda was yelling something out, but I didn't pay much heed to it. I sighed sadly as Treecko had somehow mustered up the energy to stand back up, turning towards me. Did it still trust me?

"Ey!"

Amanda suddenly wrapped an arm around me, a wide grin on her face.

"It's okay if you lose your first battle! You just have to get better! In fact, this lose is on the house! Since I...kinda forced you to fight me anyways." The Scout girl encouraged. I glanced at Treecko, who shrugged, as if uncaring that it lost. I couldn't help but release a breath of relief, a small smile escaping my lips. Litten shortly afterwards came towards Treecko. The two conversed for a moment, before Treecko bowed its head in respect.

"You'll get better. One day, you'll even be able to beat me!" She encouraged again. "Don't expect it to be an easy fight though." She warned jokingly. She released her hold on me and returned Litten to its Pokeball.

"Hmm…" A new voice hummed from the stairs, which was Professor Jenner.

"Why did I have a feeling you were doing more than "checking" on our new trainer?" He asked, holding his hands behind his back. Amanda gasped sarcastically.

"Oh no! The Horror! I've been found out! Please be merciful oh great and powerful Professor!" She sarcastically begged. Jenner smiled and rolled his eyes.

"I was only teasing. I know you wouldn't resist the urge to battle anyone. I came down here to give Aevis the basic Trainer starting pack." He explained. Amanda saluted and began to walk out.

"Welp, I have to go now. Duty calls and all that. See you two later!" She made a peace sign before walking out. The Professor sighed, and walked over to me.

"She can be such a handful sometimes…" He grumbled, pulling out three items from his gray Scientist Coat.

"This is a Pokedex. It should help you learn more about your current Pokemon, movesets, gender, abilities, and general information about the species of Pokemon." He explained, holding up a red square that flipped open to display a screen with said information. I nodded in understanding.

"Next, is this, it's called a CyberNav. Think of it as an All-In-One device, it includes communication with other CyberNav-users, a map of the Aevium region, and its own mt should have some other functions as well, but that's for another day." He explained to me. It looked like a Pokedex, but yellow, and thinner. It still had that hatch opening though.

"And the last...well, it's just some rubber shoes. Most trainers come here wearing shoes that make it easy to run, but your leather shoes won't help you in the rough terrain." He said, holding up a pair of Rubber Shoes.

I was…honestly surprised by this. I probably should have appreciated the Pokedex or CyberNav more, but…this was sort of a personal gift…so…yeah.

"Thank you." I thanked, which was probably the first time I didn't mumble to a human being in since I arrived in Aevium. Jenner nodded, but caught sight of Treecko's current state.

"Your ally seems to be rather…damaged. Here, I'll take care of his wounds for now. Watch closely, this could help." He advised, pulling out a maroon-colored container with a golden-colored spray on top. I nodded and watched. Treecko seemed hesitant, but let itself be examined by the Professor.

"Don't worry, this will only sting a bit." Jenner reassured…almost creepily. He knelt down to Treecko, and began spraying several ounces of…whatever's inside, onto the various parts of Treecko, who was wincing a bit, but was also getting less tense with every spray.

"Now then." He pulled a white cloth out of his lab coat, dabbing lightly onto the more burnt areas of Treeko's skin.

After a minute or two of spraying and dabbing, Treeko looked completely clean, as if it was never injured to begin with. I widened my eyes at that. I was really surprised, and so was Treecko, based on its reaction. Jenner kept the objects into its pockets.

"Wow…" I muttered as the Professor stood back up.

"Pokemon Healing technology has gone a long way, a good thing too. Our entire culture is based around Pokemon, battling, raising, entering contests, and more." Jenner began, before turning towards me.

"Remember, Aevis. Treecko, and all of your other future Pokemon, are going to be more than a battling machine, you should learn to connect with them, and be their friends. Pokemon are powerful creatures, but they are just as sensitive and needing of social activity as humans are." He reminded me, which was a bit appropriate…I think.

"Now then, you should have these too. It should help you on your journey." He handed me five compressed Pokeballs.

"I shouldn't have to explain this, but to capture a Pokemon, you must weaken it first, fainting is also possible, but status moves work as well." He recommended. I nodded in thanks.

"With all that out of the way, I have a favor to ask you." He started. I tilted my head. We met…literally just a few minutes ago. What favor could he ask of me?

"It's about my daughter, Melia-"

"Professor!"

I turned back, seeing a young man running towards us, around the same age as I was, their black scarf and hair fluttering through the air.

"…Why?" Jenner grumbled beside me. The man stopped and stood in front of the Professor.

"Professor Jenner! I've finished my exploration of Amethyst Cave!" He reported, saluting a bit. Jenner nodded.

"Is that so? Tell me what you've learned." The new arrival slowly scratched the back of his neck with his fingerless gloves.

"Well, if I'm being honest, I didn't get very far. My partner and I are a bit low-leveled for that area." He admitted, before immediately pounding on his pinkish-gray shirt under his gray jacket.

"But I just have to train harder! I'll get stronger, you'll see!" He promised. He seemed like a dedicated guy. Jenner chuckled, and suddenly snapped his finger, as if he just came up with an idea.

"I have an idea. Aevis," He turned towards me. I raised an eyebrow as he gestured back to Ren. "This is Ren. He's my lab assistant, I send him out for field work at times. Ren, this is Aevis. He's a new trainer, and new to Aevium as well." The Professor introduced us.

"Yo! I'm Ren! Nice to meet you!" He introduced himself with a wide grin. I let out a small smile at that.

"…Aevis." I responded. Jenner placed a hand on Ren's shoulder.

"You say you want to get stronger, well, this is your chance. Why don't you and Aevis have a Pokemon battle?" He suggested. Before I could retort, he cut me short.

"Aevis, I understand Treecko has recently gone through a battle, but the Super Potion I administered should have healed most of his health by now. Why not give it a shot?" He explained. I turned to my partner on the ground, who only nodded in anticipation. I sighed.

"Sure." Ren rushed to his side of the field, holding out a Pokeball.

"Froakie! Battle Stance!" He exclaimed, throwing the Pokeball into the air as the Water-type emerged from its container, stanced with its legs stretched out and palms on the ground.

I turned to Treecko, nodding as it took its spot on the field. Jenner got in the middle outside of the arena.

"Very well, let the match…"

…

"Begin!" He finished. Ren swiped an arm through the air.

" **Quick Attack!** " Froakie rushed forwards, sprinting so fast that it was as if its legs were in two places at once. I snapped my fingers.

"Intercept with your own!" I commanded, Treecko obeying and zooming towards Froakie, colliding and creating a small shockwave.

The two recoiled back a bit, before they assaulted each other with a barrage of **Quick Attacks** , jumping, dashing, and dodging the others attack, neither actually landing a hit. Treecko slid across the grass, narrowly avoiding another attack. I saw an opportunity, and took it.

" **Acrobatics!** " The Grass-Type blazed blue, unleashing said attack onto Froakie, launching a flurry of strikes at Froakie, who was doing its best to avoid the attacks, but to no avail. Ren grunted and shouted.

" **Double Team!** " Froakie jumped back, creating multiple copies of itself around Treecko. I grit my teeth as Treecko stopped its barrage and cautiously observed each Froakie.

"Quick! Use **Aerial Ace!** " Each individual Froakie immediately glowed blue, and bolted for Treecko. I felt myself gnashing my own teeth in frustration.

"Block it!" I ordered as Treecko crossed its arms, prepared for an attack from whichever Froakie was real. The Grass-Type was suddenly struck from behind, knocking it across the arena, dragging it across the field. Ren pumped a fist at his victory.

"Grass-types aren't generally the best, are they?" Ren taunted. I covered my own face with my hand at that.

Treecko stood back up on its feet, glaring at Froakie from across the field, both of them with a determined look on their eyes.

"Again! Use **Double Team!** " Froakie conjured up multiple copies of itself around him…Not again.

" **Razor Wind!** " I ordered. Treecko leapt into the air, its tail bursting blue, firing an assault of crescent-shaped attacks towards the Water frog. Froakie swiftly hopped from one spot to the next, avoiding the rain of attacks, however the clones were now gone from the attacks. Once Treecko landed onto the ground, I swiped an arm.

"Fire more on ground-level!" I commanded. Treecko did just that and released another onslaught of crescents, this time close to the ground.

"Jump!" Ren ordered, Froakie jumping towards the sky to evade the blows below. I smirked.

" **Absorb!** " Treecko outstretched its arms, releasing two red streams towards Froakie, who was in mid-air, latching onto it, giving the Water-type a red hue and draining its energy.

"Froakie!" Ren cried out in concern as it watched its Pokemon get sapped. I silently cheer at my little victory. Treecko eventually stopped absorbing and dropped Froakie to the ground…I raised an eyebrow at the Water-Type, it was damaged, but not as much as I had hoped for a super-effective attack…Ren smirked a little at my confusion.

"Here's a tip, my Froakie's ability is different from what you'd expect." He explained. "It's ability is Protean. It lets him change into the type of the last move used. I normally wouldn't explain it, but you're a new trainer."

Well…Alright. The last move he used was **Double Team** , so now it's a normal type. That wasn't in anyone's favor, but Froakie was much more damaged than Treecko, and that gave me a huge advantage. I snapped my fingers again…I've been doing that a lot. Overdramatic, but I like doing it.

" **Quick Attack!** " Treecko executed the attack, dashing forwards.

"Consecutive **Water Pulses!** " Ren ordered as Froakie conjured up Orbs of pure water in both palms, continuously blasting them towards the Grass-type. Treecko swiftly dashed from side-to-side, avoiding the barrage and sprinting even faster towards Froakie. Ren clenched a fist in frustration.

" **Aerial Ace!** " Froakie stopped and instantaneously dashed towards Treecko, making the grass shift slightly below it. The two Pokemon collided, Froakie clearly having the upper hand as Treecko struggled and recoiled back. Ren grinned.

"One more time! **Aerial Ace!** " Froakie repeated the attack, gliding above the ground.

" **Absorb!** " Treecko summoned its red steams again, which cut Froakie's attack short, latching onto it and starting to drain its energy, which was not much considering it changed Typings again…

Treecko probably can't take another **Aerial Ace**. I have to finish this now…Unless the Pokemon can fly, **Aerial Ace** and **Quick Attack** usually only works when you have a footing to pounce from…

" **Quick Attack!** " Treecko released its hold on Froakie, and without delay, dashed for Froakie falling from mid-air. Treecko tackled the falling Froakie, sending it back towards Ren and crashing onto the ground.

"FROAKIE!" Ren cried out. He rushed towards his fallen Pokemon…which was now fainted.

"Ren and his Froakie have lost. Aevis and his Treecko are victorious!" Jenner announced. I felt a smile appear on my lips…We won…that felt good. Treecko ran up back to me, nodding its head as it jumped onto my shoulder. It was surprisingly light. I began to walk towards Ren.

"Return." I heard Ren mutter as the Capture Signal absorbed Froakie. He turned back, a smile present on his face.

"For a new trainer, you did pretty good, both you and Treecko. Then again, it could have been type advantage, but still, good job!" Ren congratulated. Although I doubt that Type-advantage was why I won, considering it had Protean, but I nodded my head in thanks regardless.

"All of you did marvelously." Jenner complimented. He turned his head towards me. "I suggest for you to take Treecko to Nurse Joy, could use some healing after that battle." He suggested. I nodded my head.

"Alright. I need to get going now, a friend of mine wants to hangout." Ren said, placing his hands behind his head.

"Hey! Aevis! You and me, we're rivals now, got it?" He asked, offering a fist bump. I couldn't help but smile as I responded in kind.

"Rivals." I repeated as I made a fist bump. Ren nodded and pulled out his CyberNav, prompting me to pull out mine.

"Let's exchange numbers. Rivals should also keep in contact after all." He grinned. I nodded and exchanged numbers. Afterwards, he closed his device and walked towards the elevator.

"See ya!" He waved. I gave a slight wave back. He's a nice guy. A bit…cocky, I guess, I think, but nice.

Jenner hummed beside me.

"For a quiet trainer, you've already made a rival. Congrats." He started. I inwardly shrugged. I just battled him with Pokemon. I didn't fully understand it myself.

"Anyways, as I was saying, I've a favor to ask you. My daughter, Melia, should be currently in Goldenwood Forest, I sent her there to observe and explore the location, specifically, a cave. Would you mind heading there to check up on her?" He requested.

…

That…was a weird request. I mean he met me today and now he's asking me to look after his daughter? I'm not saying I am, but I could be a criminal on the run selling…"Aromatherapy".

Despite the weird thought in my head, I nodded as the Professor breathed a sigh of relief.

"You've my gratitude, Aevis."

I nodded again, and headed up the elevator.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

I sat down on the lobby of the Pokemon Center, sat in the room with the TV, reading an article about Goldenwood Forest. It didn't have too much to say, other than the name was literal, meaning every single plant in that forest was golden. It also mentioned a large lake in the center, full of…Magikarps.

I chuckled, but might actually get one if I get the chance. Say what you will, Gyarados is a Pokemon to be reckoned with. There was also a small tidbit about a cave, but it mostly talked about how Vivillions were constantly going in and out over the cave for whatever reason.

"Ah, Aevis?" I raise my head from the article in my hands to see a Nurse Joy handing me Treecko's Pokeball. I grab it in my hand.

"Thank you." I muttered…I really need to learn how to talk with strangers…I mean Amanda did most of the talking, and I battled with Ren…but random people is a different story.

"You're welcome! I suggest for you to socialize a bit more though. Being a trainer is more than getting stronger, it's about making friends along the way!" She advised, beaming with a smile. Second time I've heard that today. Fourth if you count my own thoughts. I gazed at the clock. It was still somewhat early, but might as well get a move on.

I nod at the Nurse Joy and walk outside of Gearen Laboratory, the smell of pollution and a sense uneasiness immediately greeting me. I glance at the Pokeball in my hand, and shrugged, sending out the Grass-Type onto the concrete road on its two legs. It tilted its head, noticing the change of scenery.

"…Welcome to Gearen, I guess." I shrugged at the Treecko. It seemed a bit…disgusted at the smell of toxins. Not that I blamed him, he was a Grass-Type.

"Sorry." I apologized to the Pokemon for the environment around it. Treecko just shrugged and smiled at me. I smiled back and walked down the road, my Partner following.

…

Guess this is the start of my…adventure, I guess. Welp, time to see what happens.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

 **That's Chapter 2…Sorry that the Pokemon Battle sucked. I kind of suck in Fight scenes in general, but scenes where it's basically Puppet and Puppetmaster vs Puppet and Puppetmaster 2…yeah.**

…

 **If you're one of the few who've seen the deleted chapter I wrote, you can tell I changed the starter. Why..? As much as I'm telling myself this isn't a self-insert, I'm failing pretty damn hard at it.**

 **I gave him a Grass-Type because it seemed to be the most canonical, being that his clothes are green, and it would complete the Trio of** **Litten(Fire)-Froakie(Water)-Treecko(Grass)** **Although if I were following that pattern it should have been Snivy…eh. Snivy's moveset makes it hard for me to come up with battles.**

 **And, after I posted the chapter, I realized how…cliché Riolu was…Woops. Still new to the Pokemon Fanfic community, and after searching up some stuff up…Lucario and Riolu were apparently very overused. I know I shouldn't be surprised, but…Yes, I'm retarded, I know. You are free to insult me. Also I felt that a talking Pokemon would be too much, because that would include in-battle thoughts...and too Gary Sue-ish...Sorry.  
**

 **Well, I'm trying to live my belief that my character isn't a Gary Sue by making him lose a battle...Am I succeeding? Probably not.**

 **Rejuvenation is a bit…odd in terms of story. The story is nice, although some of the characters needs some work, and the plot is really vague. Like, what's Xenpurgis? What's Interceptor? Why the fuck is Melia Lord Helix?**

… **Oh My God it's RWBY all over again.**

 **Jokes aside, there isn't going to be any shipping in this fanfic. I mean, I guess I might do Venam x Melis because it kinda seems like the only ship in the game, well there's Kanon x Melia…and OC x Melia…and SEC x Melia-**

 **Okay not that last one, but I think this kinda shows how kind of Mary Sue Melia is, but…really whines. A lot. Like when Aelita showed up at the HOH. Seriously, you haven't seen her for a damn long time and you complain about her attitude? She has pink hair, she's a lot ruder, you can infer shit happened to her, she woke up from a coma , I mean you're the brains of the group, right? I mean, I get you're supposed to represent optimism, but this is more of naivety, since she complains so much, and she thinks she can just diss two super-powerful omnipotent beings who are only following their rationality. They're cold, true, but come on. You've seen people killed before, and you've spent 3 years with them. You must have understood them by now, right? Or were they just that good at acting?**

 **To be honest, I like the side characters a lot more than the main ones. Mosely, Keta/Kenneth, Tesla, Karen, Karrina, Erin (Although I guess she's more of a main character…Is it she? Or is it Xe? Idk), I even like Looker more!...Well everyone loves him so that's understandable.**

 **Hell, My Favorite Character is** **Zetta.** **I mean, come on! How could you not love him?! And his final battle…**

 _ **(Please)**_ **Vileplume** _ **(Do)**_ **Absol** _ **(Not)**_ **Weavile** _ **(Forget)**_ **Dragonite** _ **(About)**_ **Silvally** _ **(Me)**_ **Lv. 1 Solosis...**

 **It was fucking beautiful. Hell! He even treats his Pokemon right! He has Silvally, a Pokemon that starts with 0 Happiness…and evolved it via Happiness. I mean, he's a Pokemon himself who can probably understand them, but now we won't know because he's Crescent's Pokemon now…I really liked him. Hope he comes back. I don't have much to say about Geara, although I want to know more about him and Narcissa.**

 **Sorry, went on a little rant there. Probably weird points, but it's my opinion which is most likely wrong.**

 **Back to the story itself, I'm planning on making this a bit of an Anime-Style in terms of battling, moves, and "levels", while keeping some game aspects, like HMs, TMs, Moves needing badges, and some other things. Of course, don't expect fights to be won with "Friendship" or something. Unless it's something that evolves via that kind of stuff, like Riolu or Type:Null or something.**

 **Also, I apologize for any accidental fluff/filler I might put in, but I'll probably do it to give characters more screentime, and hopefully making them a bit more likable….I think. I mean, I tried it with Ren, because starting off with** _ **"Beginner's luck quickly runs out."**_ **Is not a good way to start a rivalry with a supposed likable character.**

 **I'm talking like I know what I'm talking about…lol.**

 **Anyways, if you have any tips for Pokemon battles then leave some criticism because I have NO idea how to do them.  
**

 **Anyways, might as well reply to reviews.**

 **WanderingPenguin16:**

 **1.)Yeah. 6v6 battles are going to be a hassle. Mostly because it would not only be annoying, but getting someone interested in such long battles is really difficult unless you're the God of Writing.**

 **2.) So, basically just use the in-game Pokemon cries? That would be a bit…annoying, considering how some make noises that can't really be put in words. Like, Deoxys' cry, It doesn't really make any sound in anime, and in Games it sounds like a Heavy Air conditioner.**

 **3.) Aelita does seem like one of the "better" characters in the game, although it would take a good bit of time before those two would get together, although I could see it happening, I doubt shipping will be done soon...I suck at that stuff anyways.  
**

 **4.)…Sir, I may need to search your Internet History.**

 **5.) Tbh, the only reason I asked if I should nickname Pokemon is because I literally have an entire team in Rejuvenation based around its characters with their nicknames…With Good EVs and IVs. Yeah…I might like this game a bit too much. I have a Frosslass named Erin, Dragalge named Venam, and etc etc, I even went through the hassle of getting them female.**

 **Sorry, off-topic. Yeah, I don't think I'm going to make any nicknames anytime soon.**

 **6.) I'd appreciate reviews like this every now and again, thanks!**

 **BlackHum3r:** **This is not a ROM Hack, it's a fully separate game made using RPG Maker…I think…Or Pokemon Essentials? Both? Idk. If you want to play it for yourself, you can download it from rebornevo.  
**

 **But since you can't click/copy links from Fanfic Stories, just go Google this:**

 _ **Version 10 | Remember, I love You / Where Love Lies**_

 **It should be the first result. Hopefully.**

 **Guest:** **Thanks!**

…

 **Feel free to leave your criticism, tips, ideas, suggestions or just thoughts on the story so far in the reviews!** ** **I'm not expecting any reviews, mostly because it's a Fan-fic about a fan-game, so I'm not expecting a lot, but every bit helps, even if it's just a "This story's good!" "Meh." "This really sucks!", although I wouldn't mind some tips to go along with it.****

 **Thank you for reading, and have a great day.**

… **I make these A/Ns too long.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Rejuvenation**

 **I don't own Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I owned either, they would suck.**

…

"Apologies, but this train station has been experiencing a Power Outage all day. You'll have to come back later." The Guard in front of the train station informed me, blocking the entrance. I shrugged and walked away.

Well…since the train's been dead all day I doubt that the Professor's daughter is in Goldenwood Forest, unless she has a Flying Pokemon, or was staying there since yesterday, in which both cases I'm useless. I doubt it's the latter though, since the article didn't mention anything about any residential areas in the forest, unless she's sleeping in a cave.

…

Well, nothing to do now but…explore, I guess.

I headed over to further East Gearen, and ended up in the shopping street. I quickly checked my balance, ₱1,500. I had a decent allowance to spend. Wasn't a lot, but it was enough to get me by…I think. Hopefully. Treecko showed interest in the berry store, so I walked in. It was a fairly generic store, a wide variety of berries were stocked on shelves all around the store, along with green tiling, which I'm guessing was to match the nature theme. I turned towards the Grass-type, who seemed in awe at the variety.

"Hello! Welcome to my humble store. Would you like to purchase anything?" The woman behind the counter greeted, gesturing towards the wide variety of berries. I glanced at my Partner, who walked towards one of the isles, picking up a variety of berries and carrying them on his arm. He seemed really eager to eat.

And yes, Treecko is a Male. I checked in the Pokedex.

"Oh…" The woman seemed to have an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry, but certain berry types need a certain number of badges from the trainer. You see, it's not easy getting this much harvest, especially in Gearen City, so there are limits to preserve certain berry types." Treecko seemed disappointed in that, returning the berries. Poor guy.

"Oran Berries and Pecha Berries are available to all, of course." She followed up. I glanced at Treecko, who nodded, accepting the available berries. I shrugged to myself and picked up a bit of the avaidable berry types, handing them towards the woman.

"Okay…10 Oran Berries and 8 Pecha Berries…That will be ₱360 sir." She counted up. I nodded, and pulled out the money, handing several bills over. She nodded contently, piling up the berries and giving me a dark green pouch with a Pokeball design on it. I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! This is a complimentary pouch given for every trainer's first purchase. Hope you enjoy!" I was, again, pleasantly surprised at that. The people here seemed a lot nicer than what the atmosphere would first imply.

I walked out of the store, Treecko following as it munched on some berries I gave him.

I continued to explore the city, passing by the factory, the park, the hotel, and some…out of place tent in the corner of the city.

The thought of the Hotel reminded me that I needed a place to sleep tonight…Well, I heard that Pokemon Centers provided free overnight-stays, although considering the Pokemon Center is a Laboratory, I might have to sleep on a bench or something.

That would suck…but I'll think about that later. I glanced at Treecko again, who walked beside me with crossed arms. Wonder what he was-

" _ **D-O-G-A-R-S, DOGARS!"**_

Music that would literally make someone deaf suddenly exploded from the house we were passing by, instinctively making me jump from the sudden outburst of music. Treecko had to cover his own ears because of the booming song.

"VERONICA! I DEMAND FOR YOU TO TURN THAT MUSIC DOWN!" I barely made out a feminine voice coming from inside house.

"HOLD ON A SECOND, THE BEAT IS ABOUT TO DROP!" Another voice obnoxiously responded, singing along with the lyrics. A loud thump could be heard coming from inside, as if slamming down against a table.

"FO YOU KNOW THE COMPLAINTS I'VE RECEIVED FROM THE NEIGHBORS?! POLICE HAVE COME TO OUR DOOR THREE TIMES THIS WEEK!"

"SCREEW THE POOOOOOOOOLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCEEEEEEEE!"

I…didn't know what to think of what I was hearing right now…I glanced at Treecko, who seemed unimpressed at the voices coming from inside. We should probably be moving on.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"

The music suddenly cut short, and a second later, a purple haired-girl was dropped down from the second floor, slamming down onto the grassy terrain. I widened my eyes and instinctively walked over to her, Treecko following.

"Ugh…" "Veronica" groaned, weakly holding out an arm.

"…Are…you okay?" I asked…that was a really stupid question.

"Ugh…I…don't think I'm going to make it…" She began, as if choking on something.

"Listen…bro…I don't know who you are…but please…grant a girl…a last wish…A Pecha Berry…please…" She requested, weakly holding out a hand towards me.

…I can believe her getting hurt, but dying is a no…Nobody dies that suddenly from a fall, and there wasn't any blood anywhere either…and who would ask for a Pecha Berry for their final wish?

…

And being the idiot that I am, I decided to still give her a berry, dropping it onto her palm.

"Th-thanks, bro…" She thanked, and I could tell Treecko was giving me a deadpanned expression…I don't know, Treecko, okay? Berries are cheap anyways…

"I-I, don't even know your name…but it feels like we've known each other for a lifetime…" She drawled again, letting her arm rest on the grass as she coughed up a bit.

"I can see the light…The Horizon looks beautiful…Thank you…friend." She finished, closing her lavender eyes.

…

It was obvious that she was still breathing…she was wearing a skinny black tank-top. It wasn't that hard to see her breathing. An awkward moment of silence passed by, and I was beginning to wonder how long she was going to keep on with this charade.

…

"You can leave now." I resisted the urge to facepalm at that, while Treecko did actually facepalm. "Veronica" realized her mistake and began coughing wildly.

"I-I mean…you don't have to watch me die…Do you get a kink out of that or something?" I rolled my eyes, and she could tell that the jig was up as she bounced right back onto her feet, dusting off her short white skirt.

"Guess I'm not fooling you, huh? 'Sup. Name's Venam. Remember it." She introduced herself with a finger gun snap.

"…Aevis." I responded as Treecko jumped onto my shoulder. " This is Treecko." The Grass-Type gave a light wave to the girl.

"Cool, Aevis. Call me Venam. Name's Veronica because of my mom, but don't call me that." She suddenly leaned closer, a burning rage in her eyes.

" **Do that and you'll need more than Oran Berries to heal your wounds."** I hurriedly nodded, gulping a little, and Treecko remained emotionless. That explains its Pokedex entry a bit. Venam leaned back and let out a chuckle.

"Anyways, looks like I got kicked out again." I tilted my head at the girl. Again?

"Yeah, again." She clarified. "I play my music too loud, my mom kicks me out, and I get some poor sap to go buy me some food…Seems like you're the poor sap this time." I frowned a bit at that.

"Ah! Relax, I'm just teasing you, now wipe that kicked Growlithe look off of your face." She grinned.

"You seem cool, so why don't you hang out with me and my friends?" She suggested. I tilted my head, but didn't get a chance to respond.

"Relax, my friends are a lot more responsible than I am, so it probably won't go bad. We hang out by the sewers, directly south of here. I promise it'll be a lot of fun." She assured, relaxing her head on her hands. I sighed, before nodding. Might as well take mom's advice and try to make friends, I guess.

"Great! If you don't show up I'll make you buy me more food." She joked, before walking away.

…

Okay, people like Venam were what I was expecting when I arrived in Gearen. She's…a punk, a rebel, a renegade…but she seemed like a nice person...mostly…I think.

"…She's an interesting character." I noted to Treecko, who nodded in agreement.

Walking south, I walked down a small path, ending up in what looked like Docks of West Gearen. Only now I saw how…murky, the water looked. It didn't look poisonous…but it was gray, and was a bit…polluted. Treecko seemed to sigh in disappointment. Couldn't blame him, although I've heard Aevium was a new region, so who knows? Maybe there was an accident, or, something.

I headed towards the somewhat out of place building…to see my "Rival", and Venam, the latter of which was lying on the ground…again

"Please…Oran Berry…Berry…Emporium…" Venam drawled again, and I could _feel_ Treecko facepalming on my shoulder. I stifled a chuckle under my hand.

"Come on Venam, you're not fooling anyone with that act." Ren stated, which went completely ignored.

"Please…it's…my last wish…" She began violently coughing, but was no more convincing than before. Ren groaned in annoyance.

"Just get up already, _Veronica_ -"

Faster than I could process, Venam instantly got back up, her eyes burning with rage, and punched Ren square in the face, leaving a noticeable bruise on his cheek. Note to self, never piss her off…

"Don't call me that!" She seethed. Ren seemed uncaring as he continued on, dusting his face off a bit. A part of me wished that I had the confidence/poker face he had.

"You can't expect free food all the time, you know." He stated again, arms crossed. Venam made a fake hurt expression.

"You're a horrid person, Ren. You wouldn't even answer a lil' ol' girl's dying wish?" Venam pouted as she crossed her arms.

"Girl? I thought you were a Primeape."

…

That was really rude…but at the same time I couldn't stop myself from snickering. Venam didn't seem to have the same thoughts as she silently glared at Ren, which seemed to have no effect on him...Either that or he had a really good Poker face. Venam finally seemed to noticed I existed though.

"Aevis! Can you believe this guy?" Ren turned around, surprised to see me and Treecko there.

"Hello." I greeted, waving my hand a bit.

"Aevis? You were the one Venam was talking about?" He asked, eyebrow raised. Venam released a sigh of relief.

"Oh, good. Looks like I won't have to bother you with introductions. Come on! Melia's waiting down there." She reminded Ren, heading down the sewers…wait, Melia? As in the Professor's daughter?

…That was incredibly convenient. Either that or Melia was just a really common name. Ren turned back to me, shrugging.

"Well, looks like this works out for everyone. Come on, I'll show you around the sewers." Ren offered, walking ahead as I tailed behind him. I glanced at my partner, who didn't seem too eager to go down possibly poisonous sewers, so I had put him inside his Pokeball, with his approval of course. Ren was inside, gesturing for me to follow him down a set of stairs.

I walked down the stairway, being greeted with a smelly stench. I walked down onto the purple tiled concrete floor, noting the waving sewer waters, that seemed…poisonous…Why were people hanging out down here?

"Welcome to the abandoned, sewers, home to teenagers, weird techno-geeks, and a surprisingly decent restaurant." Ren welcomed with open arms. I raised an eyebrow at the last one, how would you run a restaurant in a sewer? _Why_ would you ruin a restaurant in a sewer?

"…Yeah I chose not to question the restaurant part a long time ago." He shrugged. I continued to follow Ren, curiously observing the area, wondering why the hell people would hang out in a sewer. I mean, up above wasn't a bad place, was it?

"Eh. You get used to the smell. It's not too bad, it's not really any worse than the air above after a while of staying down here. The place is pretty average in terms of looks though." Ren assured, noticing my lingering eyes. I found a bit of a hard time believing that the air above was any worse, it's the sewers, after all.

…

"So, what do you think of Venam so far?" Ren asked, turning his head towards me.

"…She's an interesting character." I answered the same thing I told Treecko. Ren chuckled lightly at that.

"It's okay, you can be honest with me. She tricked you into giving her a berry, huh?" He teased, a grin on his face. I felt my face get a bit red in embarrassment, and I tipped my cap slightly to hide my expression.

"…I didn't think she was dead…I just gave her one because…I'm an idiot." I admitted, muttering the last part and gazing away for a moment. Ren seemed to laugh at my response and gave me a pat on the back.

"Eh, it's fine. You're new to Aevium, so I wouldn't expect you to get used to things like that quickly. We're still rivals, you know?" He reassured me, lightly punching my shoulder. Rivals, right. Eventually, Ren lead me towards a door near the end of the sewers, where Venam waited outside, leaning against the wall.

"You two took your sweet ass time, come on!" She rushed through the door, me and Ren following…until it closed right in front of us.

"What…?" Ren questioned, before groaning. "Did the power seriously flicker? Again?"

Again? How often does this happen? Was this even safe? Were we even allowed down here? Am I thinking of too many questions and not actually asking them?...Yes.

Ren whined a bit, before turning towards me with his arms crossed.

"Well, whatever. The generator's nearby anyways. Shouldn't be too hard to reset ourselves." Ren suggested. I shrugged and followed him, hoping that he knew what he was doing.

After another moment of walking, we got to the generator room, which consisted of three large metallic white devices, with the same purple tiling and gray walls.

"Alright…now…" Ren scratched his chin, as if trying to remember something.

" _Koff-Koffing!"_

Me and Ren turned our heads towards a duo of Koffing emerging from the back, heading towards us, one on the left, one on the right, both expelling a large amount of gas everywhere, which was filling up the room a bit. We glanced at each other, before pulling out our Pokeballs.

"Murkrow! Let's go!"

"Treecko!"

The two Pokemon dispersed, standing on their respective sides. I was surprised to see not Froakie out of Ren's Pokeball, but stayed silent.

"I'll take the one on the right. You take the left." Ren stated, walking towards the right side. I nodded in agreement as I turned back to Treecko, who nodded back to me, before turning towards our Koffing. Guess this was going to be my first Wild Pokemon Battle. This should hopefully be quick…Damn the Type advantages though.

The Poison-type let out a wicked smile, before regurgitating **Sludge** towards Treecko, who leapt into the air to dodge it.

" **Razor Wind!** "

Treecko's tail blazed blue, front flipping in midair and firing a barrage of crescent-shaped attacks from its tail. Koffing suddenly began to spin, faster, faster, and faster, giving its body a blue hue before charging towards Treecko, maneuvering around the projectiles and impacting Treecko in midair, knocking him towards the wall.

"Bounce off the wall and Counter with **Quick Attack** followed by **Acrobatics!** " I ordered.

Treecko gently landed on the wall, swiftly bouncing off the walls and speeding towards Koffing, leaving a white trail, before blazing blue and unleashing an outbreak of kicks and smacks. Koffing took the onslaught head-on, but began to spin again, using **Gyro Ball** , which noticeably gave Treecko some recoil damage. The Grass-Type finished it off by smacking Koffing to the ground, before landing safely.

"Finish it, **Quick Attack!** " I commanded as I outstretched an arm. Treecko hurriedly obeyed, nimbly dashing towards the Poison-type, which was slowly falling onto the ground...glowing..?

"Treecko stop!" I ordered instinctively. Treecko halted abruptly, observing Koffing as it began blazing white…absorbing itself…?

…

It was using **Self-Destruct**.

Crap.

If it used it here, the generators would probably get damaged, and Treecko, Ren, and his Murkrow would also take damage. I didn't have much time to think as Koffing began to glow brighter and brighter…

I looked through my bag for something to help me out…The Pokeballs Jenner gave me caught my eye.

"…Pokeball!" I enlarged it, before promptly hurling the Pokeball towards the Poison-Type, which successfully impacted onto its body, absorbing the Pokemon in a flash of red, the ball falling onto the ground.

 _ ***Shake*…*Shake*…*Shake*…**_

 _ **Ding!**_

…

I…Guess I caught a Koffing? I gazed at Treecko, who seemed minutely injured from the battle. I didn't buy any Potions yet, so I settled for giving him an Oran Berry. Better buy some later though. I walked towards the Pokeball on the floor, holding it in my hand, staring at it.

…

Is it weird that I feel bad for this thing? I mean, this thing could probably have a family or something…

"You caught it?" Ren asked, head tilted as Murkrow was perched on his shoulder, before promptly being returned. I nodded, before returning Treecko back into my Pokeball. My Rival shrugged at me.

"Huh. I won't judge your Pokemon preferences." I raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say anything. I sent out Koffing from its Pokeball, floating in midair. I stared at it, it staring back right at me. After an awkward moment of staring, I tilted my head at the Poison-Type.

"Um…Hi?" I awkwardly greeted. It coughed in response, but mostly seemed uncaring though, as it twirled in place. I brought out my Pokedex to analyze it.

 **Koffing:** _ ** The Poison Gas Pokemon**_

 _ **If Koffing becomes agitated, it raises the toxicity of its internal gases and then jets them out from all over its body. This Pokémon may also overinflate its round body, then explode.**_

 **Ability:** _ **Levitate: Gives the Pokemon the ability to hover/fly.**_

 **Moveset:** _ **Sludge, Gyro Ball, Self-Destruct, Smokescreen**_

 **Gender:** _ **Male**_

I kept my Pokedex back into my pocket and returned Koffing to his Pokeball.

"Alright, now that that's been taken care of, let's go back to resetting the generators." Ren suggested. I nodded in agreement as Ren scratched his cheek.

"Alright, if I remember correctly, Melia mentioned something about "3+1+2 is the solution to our generator problems.", doesn't take a genius to figure out that one." He stated. I went on over to the right, left, and middle generator, in that order. Apparently, resetting an electric generator only needd a push of a button. The more you know, I guess.

"Alright, now let's get a move on. Melia and Venam should be waiting for us back there." I nodded in agreement and headed out of the room, following behind Ren, keeping my hands in my jacket's pockets.

…

"So, what do you think of Aevium so far, Aevis?" Ren asked, before blinking. "I just realized how similar those two names sound…Are you sure you're not from Aevium?" I stifled a chuckle, and shook my head.

"Haven't seen much. Got here…a few hours ago, actually." I answered, scratching my neck a bit. Ren raised an eyebrow at me.

"Wait, you just arrived a few hours ago? How long have you been here when I first saw you?" He questioned.

"…Around an hour."

"How'd you get here? Don't you have any folks with you?" He followed up. I was about to answer…but…

 _ **"There's a troll in the dungeon! There's a troll in the dungeon!"**_

Memories of the ship suddenly flooded into my mind…I stopped walking and just stood in place, my consciousness filling up with more crashing noises of debris and attacks.

Screams of agony, panic, and pure frustration suddenly filled my ears, the sound of roaring thunder, falling piles of debris, and destructive detonation overlapping over the shrieks of pain. My hands were visibly shaking at my side…

" _ **Aevis…I'm sorry…but this will be goodbye for now."**_

My eyes were shut tight and I could hear practically see it happening in front of me…I heard _her_ voice, alongside the charging of an attack, getting louder and louder, echoing through my thoughts…

" _ **Flash Cannon."**_

…

"AEVIS!"

Ren shook me back to reality, his hands firmly grasped onto my shoulders. I opened my eyes again, stepping away, clutching a hand to my chest, hyperventilating a bit…What the hell is wrong with me?

"You okay? You kinda zoned out for…Are…are you crying?"

I blinked, once, twice, thrice, trying to stop these stupid tears from emerging. I tilted my head towards the ground, before finally stopping myself, or, at least, make it look like I wasn't thinking about it.

"…Sorry." I muttered. Damn it Aevis, you literally just met this guy today, stop acting like an Arcues-damn baby in front of him-

"Sorry, for, uh, asking. You can tell me when the time comes." Ren commented, scratching his cheek. I sighed, whether it was in relief or disappointment in myself was debatable. Just relax Aevis. It's a problem, everyone has a problem of their own.

The walk was relatively silent after that.

…

We got inside the…Control room, or something. I gazed around the room, nothing was too notable other than this room also had a sewer-water river. When we got in, we were greeted by Venam…in her usual antics.

"Pecha…Berry…Ple-"

"Now you're just doing this to be annoying." Ren complained, arms crossed. Venam jumped right back up, shrugging nonchalantly.

"I'm freaking bored, okay? Melia, how's your progress with that computer thing?" The purple-haired girl asked, turning her head towards the right side of the room, where a blonde girl was fiddling with a large device, tapping on a small computer screen on it.

"Unfortunately, that's definitely a negative. I can't pinpoint what the problem is, or figure out what caused the problem to begin with." Melia answered, turning back towards Venam, before noticing me…she stared at me for five straight seconds of awkward silence.

…

"…I'm sorry but have we met before?" Melia finally asked, head tilted. I tilted my head back…before recognizing her as the girl I bumped into at the Lab…neat? I guess?

"You already know Aevis? He only arrived in Aevium today." Ren questioned, eyebrow raised. The blonde girl snapped a finger in realization.

"Oh. Right, I bumped into you at Gearen Laboratory. Sorry about that by the way." She apologized, bowing her head a bit. I didn't say anything in response, instead just nodding at the girl.

"…You're a quiet one, aren't you?" Venam noted.

"…Sorry." I muttered, shrugging. The punk-girl shrugged back.

"Eh, whatever. How'd you meet Ren anyways?" Venam questioned, leaning against the wall. I turned towards said Rival, who began to nervously scratch his neck.

"Well, I was off to visit Professor Jenner, and Aevis just so happened to receive his first Pokemon…So…I battled him…" He drawled out, stuttering a bit.

"And?" Melia beckoned for more.

"Well…He kinda, sorta, maybe, I don't know, perhaps, just a chance, that he-"

"He lost." I answered for him, ending his sputtering.

"I was getting to that…" Ren pouted.

"You lost to a noobie? Wow, you've definitely hit a new low Ren!" Venam teased with a cocky grin. Ren's face grew red, and Melia seemed to remain neutral in the conversation.

"He-he chose a Grass-Type! He had a Type advantage!" Ren excused himself.

"But doesn't your Froakie know **Aerial Ace?** And it has Protean?" Melia questioned, a light grin on her face. Venam was now silently snickering as Ren hunched down in embarrassment…Poor guy. I patted him on the back in consolation.

"…You put up a good fight." I comforted, though I don't think it made him feel any better. Sorry, I think?

…

After Venam finally stopped laughing (mostly), I decided to ask a question…which was probably the first time I was the first to talk in a conversation…I think.

"Why are you guys in the sewers?" I questioned, head tilted. Melia shrugged.

"Since the train to Goldenwood Forest was closed, I decided to head down to Gearen Sewers to check up on my experiment." She answered.

"Experiment?"

"Melia's trying to see if the rumors about Trubbish and Garbodor were true, about how they were mutated from garbage bags and…well, garbage." Ren answered. So…they were trying to "create", a Pokemon? That's…actually pretty cool.

"Sounds interesting." I noted. Melia nodded in response.

"That's not the only reason though, we're going to see if we Melia's superpower kicks in again!" Venam exclaimed, making Melia's face fluster a bit.

"V-Venam, I don't have any sort of special abilities, please just give it a rest…" She requested, hand on her forehead.

"Hey! Take pride in your ability! Nobody can attract Shiny Pokemon like you can!"

…Shiny Pokemon? She can attract Shinies? How does that work?

"Venam, that's not even confirmed yet. It's likely to be one big coincidence." Melia denied, arms crossed over her black long-sleeved sweater. Venam groaned.

"Come on! You-"

 _Chomp!_ Venam was then cut short by a loud bite, followed by the gnawing of metal. The four of us turned, A Garbodor on the other side of the sewer river, its garbage body colored…Azure? And its top was a…dark purple, matching the tiles in the sewers.

…

"Is…that a Shiny?" I questioned. Venam snapped her fingers.

"Hah! I told you so!" She exclaimed, pumping her fists up in victory and doing a little dance. Melia wasn't concerned with Venam at the moment, and seemed more worried about the Poison-Type on the other side.

"That must be what was causing the Power Outages!" The blonde girl exclaimed, but then had a confused look on her face.

"Wait…weren't there three trash bags on that side?" She questioned…She just jinxed it.

Two normal Trubbishes suddenly jumped from the sewer-river, landing onto the ground. The Shiny Garbodor swam through the river afterwards, reconciling with its…Brothers? Sisters? Co-Creations?

"We'll take care of this Melia!" Ren assured, holding out a Pokeball.

"O-Okay. Excuse me for this." Melia pardoned, walking away from the Poison-Types. I tilted my head at that. Does she not have a Pokemon, or…what?

"Froakie! Battle Stance!"

"Treecko!"

"Seviper, wreck'em!"

The three Pokemon emerged onto their respective trainers, and I was clearly at a disadvantage...Crap.

"Hey, don't worry Aevis, I got your back." Ren reassured, feeling a hand on my shoulder. I sighed, but this time in relief. I turned back to Treecko, giving it a nod once more, before turning towards the garbage trio.

"Let's do this!" Venam cheered, her Seviper crying in agreement.

" _Trubbish-Trub!"_

The two Trubbishes leapt into the air, regurgitating multiple **Sludges** towards our Pokemon.

" **Razor Wind! "** Treecko's tail energized bright blue, before spinning its tail upwards, discharging a multitude of White Crescent-shaped attacks, countering the **Sludge** barrage and hitting the Trubbishes in the process, knocking them back to Garbodor, who took initiative afterwards.

" _GAAAAAARRRRBB!"_ Garbodor screeched, before holding up an arm, shooting out **Toxic Spikes** in the air, before falling on the ground. Ren grit his teeth.

"Careful! You're Treecko's gonna get poisoned, try to stay in midair." He advised. I had no idea how I was supposed to do that, but I rolled with it.

"Seviper! **Poison Tail!** " Venam commanded. The Snake Pokemon swiftly slithered towards one of the Trubbishes, tail bursting with purple energy, before knocking it into the air. Ren took this as an opportunity to attack, snapping a finger.

"Use **Water Pulse** on the airborne Trubbish!" Froakie conjured up an orb of water, firing it towards the trash Pokemon in midair. Garbodor roared as it held out two arms, blasting **Sludge Bomb** to counteract the **Water Pulse**.

"Intercept **Sludge Bomb** with **Razor Wind**!" Treecko once again unleashed another barrage of crescents, blowing the **Sludge Bomb** away, much to the Garbodor's annoyance, and allowing the **Water Pulse** to impact blasting the Trubbish into the wall, knocking it out.

"Awesome!" Ren cried out. I glanced at Venam, who seemed to be handling the other Trubbish on her own. I turned my attention back to the fully evolved Poison-Type, cautiously observing it. I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

"Aevis! Let's go after Garbodor!" My Rival insisted, a fist clenched and pumped. I nodded in agreement, but returned Treecko to its Pokeball. Couldn't risk it getting poisoned from the spikes. I pulled out my Koffing, sending it onto the field.

"Koffing!" I yelled out as he emerged, a cheeky grin on his face…body…thing. Ren had the same idea, pulling out Froakie's Pokeball, returning the Pokemon.

"Froakie, Return!" He pulled out another Pokeball. "Murkrow!" The Dark-Type emerged, flying in midair. Garbodor roared even louder, its cry echoing off the walls. It centered its two arms to its chest, forming a large spherical rock, before continuously blasting a multitude of them at our Pokemon. Koffing and Murkow hovered from side to side to avoid the attacks.

" **Wing Attack!** " Murkrow's wings burned blue, before promptly charging towards the Garbodor and slashing at it with its wings. Garbodor recoiled back, but threw a rock directly in front of Murkrow, blowing it back to Ren.

"Damn it! It's using **Rock blast!** " Ren cursed. Garbodor can learn **Rock Blast?** Since when? Garbodor howled powerfully, and unleashed another barrage of rocks at Koffing.

"Counter with **Gyro Ball!** " Koffing began to spin faster and faster, giving it a blue hue, and charged directly at the rocks, obliterating the rocks to mere pieces of rubble. Garbodor was even more agitated, and was going offensive as it sprinted towards Koffing, its right arm glowing blue.

"Intercept!" I ordered. Koffing spun directly into Garbodor's **Pound** , knocking the two back and stopping Koffing's rotation...Wait, did Poison resist Steel or-

"Aevis! Let's combine our attacks!" Ren suggested. I nodded as he outstretched an arm. " **Drill Peck!"**

" **Gyro Ball!** "

Our two Pokemon did their respective attacks, zooming towards the Poison-Type. Garbodor merely crossed its rubbish arms, tanking the hit. The attacks seemed to grind into its body, but had no effect on the Poison-Type itself. Garbodor outstretched its arms, cancelling their attack and throwing them back.

"That thing is tanky." I noted, hand on my cap. It combined its arms again, firing another **Sludge Bomb.** Seviper suddenly popped out, and knocked the attack away with its **Poison Tail **attack, sending it into the wall. I glanced at Venam, who was juggling a Pokeball, and finally rejoined us.

"Sup, you guys need my help?" She asked, Seviper slithering back to her.

"That thing can take a lot of hits, we're going to need to attack with something really powerful to knock it out." Ren explained. Venam raised a finger to her chin thinking…not exactly the best time as Garbodor was charging towards Koffing again, arm glowing blue with **Pound**.

"Intercept again with **Gyro Ball!** " I ordered as Koffing executed its attack, colliding once more with the Garbage Pokemon, the two Poison-Type rebounding again. I grit my teeth. Maybe I could send out Treecko to use **Quick Attack** with Koffing's Gy…ro…

Idea!

...I'm…so sorry Koffing.

"Aim for his center! Again! **Gyro Ball!** " Koffing executed its attack, swiftly charging into Garbodor's center body, continuously grinding into it. It didn't have any effect though, Garbodor simply tanking t he hit again. I heard my Rival whine in frustration.

"We need a stronger attack! Something to take it out in one go!" Ren exclaimed. I sighed sadly, glancing at Koffing, who was still grinding against the Garbodor.

"Sorry, Koffing." I muttered, before raising an arm with an open palm.

" **Self-Destruct!"**

"Huh?" Venam questioned.

Koffing's body began to glow brighter, and brighter, and brighter, continuously spinning into Garbodor's center. It tried to wiggle it off, but to no avail. It began to panic and tried to force it away with its arms, but its rotation made it difficult for it.

"Murkrow! Return!" Ren exclaimed, returning it to its Pokeball.

"You too Seviper!" Venam followed up. I sighed, and walked back a bit, covering my face with my cap as I awaited the blast.

An overwhelmingly loud blast flew past us, along with a mix of smoke, dust, and shreds of debris. The two Poison-types now engulfed within the smoke.

Once the dust settled, Garbodor was lying on the ground, fainted. I tilted my head down, seeing Koffing rolling towards me, the swirls over his eyes. I…freaking hugged it, I mean it literally blew itself up for me, how could I not? He seemed to let out a pleased cry before I pulled out his Pokeball.

"Return…you did a great job, buddy. Thank you." I thanked my Poison-Type as the capture signal absorbed it into the pokeball.

"Nice thinking, Aevis." Venam complimented. I shrugged. It was just a **Self-Destruct**. Nothing revolutionary, although I really had to thank Koffing for it.

"Good job you three!" Melia complimented form behind us. I felt a soft smile appear on my face at the compliment. It wasn't too often I heard those from people besides my mom…And I'm fairly sure those don't count.

"Look!" Venam called out. We turned back at the Garbodor, which was now silently retreating back, giving a glance at Melia before leaving.

" _Gaarb…_ "

…

"Anyways…" Melia continued. "Thank you, Ren, Venam, and…Aevis, was it?" I nodded my head in confirmation.

"Thank you, although, we weren't in any real danger to begin with." She followed up. I raised an eyebrow. That thing literally chomped through metal. What was she talking about?

"Not as long as I had this!" She went back towards the machine, where she apparently hid…a gray briefcase.

"Wow!...What is it?" Venam questioned, hands on her hips.

"It's a briefcase that my father gave it to me before I left Goldenwood Forest. It's full of Pokeballs, Potions, and stuff like that. Although my father said that if things went south, I'd have to insert a super secret code, and we'd be safe!...I think." She answered. That didn't really clear anything up. What was inside? A Pokeball with 100% catch rate?

"Uh…okay." Ren said doubtfully.

"In any case, we've solved the cause of the problems. Some of the adults should be coming here shortly to repair the pipes and wiring. We should get going."

"Eh, I'll stay and supervise." Venam shrugged. "Not like I can go back home. Got kicked out again." I raised an eyebrow. She was going to be sleeping in the sewers..? That…was kind of sad, then again though, this probably happens to her a lot…

"Have fun with that. Don't forget to stop by later tonight though, I'm gonna ask dad if he can let you sleep-over tonight, and we still have that game night, right Ren?" Melia reminded the punk girl, before turning to Ren.

"Yeah." He simply responded.

"Will do." Venam saluted. Melia nodded contently. These three seemed like a Best-Friend-Forever trio you'd find in cartoons, made me feel really awkward being in the middle of them though.

"Oh, and Aevis? Would you like to go to Goldenwood Forest with me tomorrow? It's a common place for newbie trainers to train their Pokemon. I'm heading there for my father, but I'm sure you could benefit from the trip too."

…

I…seriously could not believe this. Seriously. We met…literally ten minutes ago, and now she's asking me to accompany her to the wild forest? The hell? Was that stupid or was that generous? I really couldn't tell.

…

Like father, like daughter, I guess, but my point still stands…

"…Sure." I answered after a moment of silence. Melia beamed at my answer, bowing in gratitude. Maybe I was the stupid one for agreeing to this kind of thing twice.

"Meet me in Route 1 once the Train Station comes back on tomorrow." She followed up, walking out of the room. She's…really trusting.

"Yeah, I know, almost too trusting." Ren agreed…I blinked. I said that out loud, didn't I?

"Eh. I'm sure Melia knows what she's doing. You seem like a nice guy anyways." Venam added, but quickly turned to me…A venomous look in her eyes.

" **But if you dare try anything I'll make sure you don't walk again."** I gulped heavily, nodding like a little wimp…To be fair though…no wait, I was a little wimp.

"You don't need to scare him." Ren pointed out. Venam shrugged.

"Eh. Just making sure. I guess I trust you though. You're quiet, but seem like a friendly guy." She added. I released a sigh of _deep_ relief. She was a really scary girl when she wanted to be.

"…Thanks." I responded. Venam waved it off.

"Well, time for me to go. Professor Jenner asked me t o do some research in the library." Ren brought up, walking out of the room himself. I sighed, before walking out myself.

…

Now what?

I'm aimless in terms of what to do next…The given thing to was make some money, but that would mean having to find other trainers to fight…Wait...Ren still owed me some money…

Eh. Too late for that. I should probably go look for some trainers, but…I'm not sure if talking with random people and asking them if they want to battle would be efficient, or something I was willing to do-

"Hey, you!" I turned my head, a youngster behind me. He shifted his cap to the back, and pulled out a Pokeball.

"Let's battle!"

…

Or…they could come to me…Well, that makes my life a lot easier.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

"Here's your Chinese Food!"

I nodded in thanks as I took the carton, along with the chopsticks, tilted my head down at the table. I had won three battles in the sewers so far, mostly won by Treecko, with Koffing helping in the last battle against that Techno-Guy. A few wild Pokemon showed up too, and I was tempted to catch the Noibat for the sake of its Dragon-typing, but decided not to for now. I got my first Pokemon today, and catching Koffing was more on instinct than anything.

The battles brought my balance up to ₱1,460. I spent ₱300 to buy some Chinese Food though, even if I didn't know what a Chinese was. I hadn't eaten since…the…ship.

I shook my head at the thought. I need to stop thinking like this. I raised my head, seeing my two Pokemon across the table. Treecko was nibbling on some Oran Berries from my pouch, and Koffing was hovering on the table, munching on Pecha Berries, ironically. Guess I'm going to have to pay for their meals...Maybe I can get some Pokesnax, or whatever those brown things were called. I'd need to learn how to cook though.

I decided to let my thoughts linger for a while. I only had Treecko and Koffing so far. The Poison-type munched sloppily on its berries, accidentally spitting a bit onto the table, and from what I could tell, his spit was poisonous… Treecko sneered, and shifted away from the table a bit.

I sighed. The two…weren't exactly friendly with each other. I guess it was because they were somewhat opposites in typing, or maybe their personalities were just different, but what would I know? I don't speak Pokemon. Even if I did I'm not sure if they would even want to talk with me.

In terms of battling, they weren't the best type combo. Grass had a lot of weaknesses, and Poison didn't have much of an advantage over other types. At least neither of them had the same weakness…I think. A Rock type would help, it would cover four of Treecko's weaknesses, but it would also add a weakness to Steel-types, I think, depending on if Steel was effective or not against Poison.

Best not to think about this too much, I'm bound to find some other Pokemon along the way.

Money…not much to say there. I could gain a decent amount by battling, and that's what I'm planning to do for now. There was also a Help Center, which could potentially give me a decent paycheck, although that might be a short-term idea. I'll have to train against wild Pokemon if the trainers start becoming tougher though, so I should have a decent amount of money just in case I lose a few battles.

After spending ten minutes on figuring out on how to hold chopsticks, I decided to get a plastic fork from the table and ate with that, somewhat embarrassingly. I finished my food and returned my Pokemon to their Pokeballs.

"Now…I need to find a place to sleep…" I muttered to myself, hands in my jacket's pockets. I prayed to Arceus that Gearen Laboratory had available guest rooms for trainers…

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

"I'm sorry, but we're full. Sorry, but there's not too many rooms in here compared to normal Pokemon Centers, since this is mostly a Laboratory for the Professor's experiments. We hope you understand." Nurse Joy apologized, bowing her head from behind the counter.

…Greeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

"Not even one?" I asked again. Nurse Joy checked her small PC again, and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but most of them have been reserved by people who should have arrived today from the S.S. Oceana, and due to how wealthy they mostly were, we can't risk anything given Aevium's current status." She explained, which made me widen my eyes a bit. Right…they never arrived.

"We deeply apologize for the inconvenience. Please let us know if there's anything else we can help you with." I sighed. I could ask if my Mom had made a reservation…but I don't think that I should do that. They'd know I was from the ship, and they'd ask questions. What kind of questions? I don't know, and I don't want to find out. I would rather not have any attention on me.

…Damn it. Guess I'm sleeping on a bench tonight…Not the best way to spend your first night in a new region. I glanced at the clock. It was already past dusk, and I might as well take a rest. I'm dead tired after everything today…

I ended up going to further East Gearen to find a bench for me to sleep in. I probably should've just asked someone if I could sleep on their couch, but I was already tired and lying down on the bench, my Pokemon inside my Pokeballs.

…

I found it a hard time sleeping. Call it paranoia, but sleeping in a city like this out in the open wasn't too appealing, and I was basically a hobo until further notice, so who knows what could happen to me. I shook of the thought, and placed my hands in my pockets again, the air was actually a bit chilly.

…

I eventually managed to close my eyes for a few minutes, the feeling of sleep finally overtaking me.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

…

"Aevis?"

I felt someone shaking my body to wake me up. I sluggishly opened my eyes…to see Melia's eyes right in front of me.

…

"Hi."

"SWEET LORD HELIX!"

I fell off of the bench, landing with my back against the floor. I groaned painfully, sitting back up with my knees up and hand on the floor. I rubbed my eyes with my other hand, and raised my head towards Melia…who was holding back a laugh. I looked around the area, and whoever was around to see that was snickering. I hid my face with my cap as I felt my expression get red.

"...Shut up." I muttered, which only seemed to make her struggle to hold her laugh more.

"I-I'm s-s-sorr-y…" Melia "apologized", chortling at me. My face was still covered by my cap, but I couldn't help but feel really, _really_ embarrassed right now, even if there was barely anyone around.

"U-Um, a-are you okay?" Melia asked, calming down a bit.

"…Yeah...Why'd you wake me up?"

"Well, it was getting late, so I thought that I should wake you up, it's not exactly comfortable to spend your first night in Aevium on a bench. You have a place to live, right?" Melia asked with her hands behind her back. I mareepishly scratched my neck.

"Yeah…sure." I lied, although it was obvious from her face that she could tell I was lying.

"You _do_ have a place to sleep, right?"

…

"No?" I reluctantly replied, raising my cap to face Melia, who was expressionless. She blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice...and whatever comes after thrice. Quice?

"What about the Laboratory?"

"Full, apparently."

"Someone to take care of you?"

"…No?"

…

"One sec." Melia backed away for a moment, opening her CyberNav and dialing someone. I just continued to sit on the ground…like an idiot. Who was she talking to?

…

Once the call ended, she went back to me. She gestured for me to stand up, which I did, before she grabbed my hand and began to drag me…somewhere.

"…What are you doing?"

"I'm not going to let your first night in Aevium be on a bench! There's a spare sofa in my room you can use." She replied.

…

I pulled back my hand and I began sputtering out excuses faster than I could think.

"That's not necessary-I'm fine I know I'm just going to inconvenience you anyways-I've done nothing for you-We've only met today why are you doing this-I'm fine you can leave me be-Venam's literally sleeping in the sewers just give it to her-I appreciate the offer and-"

"Aevis, one more word and I'll slap you."

"…I'm just saying-OW!" Melia sighed afterwards, crossing her arms.

"I'm fairly sure that a sofa inside is better than a bench outside. Why are you resisting so much?" I timidly scratched my arm, hesitantly trying to come up with a response. In all honesty, I was somewhat confused myself.

"…Because we just barely met today and my conscience is telling me that I'm just going to inconvenience and annoy you?" I replied shakily, avoiding eye contact. Melia blinked. Once. Twice…before she laughed softly and began to drag me again by the hand.

"You're such a doll, Aevis." I tilted my hat to cover up the reddened expression on my face. I reluctantly followed Melia.

"…Shut up." Why did I say that? I don't know but it felt appropriate. Melia chuckled at that.

"Aevis, it's true that we've only met today, but you're…shy. Really shy. I…can relate to that. If it wasn't for Venam and Ren I probably wouldn't have any friends here in Gearen." She began.

"I know how it feels to be in the situation you're in, except I had dad to keep me company, which only makes your situation worse…I won't make you answer my questions for now, but, even if we only met today, I'm your new friend, even if we've just met today, I'm more than happy to help!" She beamed, the same optimistic smile on her face.

"…Thanks…a lot…Seriously." I thanked, completely genuine. She was ridiculously kind, although, again, a bit trusting. Then again though, I trusted her, someone in a place where I've never been in before, so I was probably the idiot here. She turned back and continued walking, me trailing behind her.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

Melia lead me to her room…where Venam and Ren were waiting…Oh yeah…They mentioned a game night or something…This is going to be an awkward night, isn't it?

"Hey guys!" Melia waved. Venam waved back and Ren seemed confused on why I was there.

"What's Aevis doing here?"

"Aevis apparently had no place to stay for the night, so I invited him to sleep on my couch for tonight." Melia replied. I couldn't help but cover my face in shame from that.

"…Sorry." I muttered out of habit. Venam stared for a moment, but shrugged.

"Eh. Whatever, I was already going to sleep in the sewers anyways." She waved off. A part of me felt really bad for her, considering that I was the newcomer here.

"Melia, since you don't have a gaming console, go grab your board and card games."

"UNO?"

"UNO."

I raised an eyebrow. I knew what UNO was, but I didn't get how it could be fun. It was just matching different colors and numbers. Then again, I never played it before so who knows-

 _ **Ten Minutes Later…**_

We were sitting around the table in Melia's room, playing this game of colors and numbers. I stared at that purple-haired _bitch_ beside me, flaunting that Blue Skip Card like she just won the lottery.

"Woops." She laughed, banging the card against the table like she owned the place.

"Eh, relax, I got you Aev." Ren said, handing down a Blue Reverse card, which was when I decided that he was a good person. At some point in the game they started to nickname me Aev, which felt weird at first…but for now I glared at that purple-haired wench and slammed down my card like it was my entire purpose in life.

"Wild Draw Four. Red." Oh the pissed of look on Venam's face was so damn worth it. She scowled, her eyes burrowing through me as she drew her four cards and skipping her turn. Yes. That's right. Now-

"I feel like you two are taking this game a bit too seriously…" Ren sweatdropped.

…

"…Sorry." I mumbled. What the hell was I thinking? This was literally just a game of cards…I should probably apolo-

"Red Skip, Ren." Melia called sweetly.

"OH SCREW YOU!"

…

We ended up all laughing and playing together for the rest of the night…It was…actually really soothing, actually. Just sitting down…playing this card game without a care in the world…skipping my turn three times in a row…It was…really fun. I guess I was part of their little group now? I think?

…That thought made me feel…Happy.

...

"So, Aev, how'd you get into Aevium? Ren said that you were new here, I don't really see you with anyone, and you don't have anywhere else to stay." Venam asked, rolling her two dice in Monopoly. I felt myself twitch a little at the question.

"So, what? Are you a stowaway, or-"

"Venam! You just stepped onto my property!" Ren interrupted quickly, promptly winking at me. I sighed in relief. Ren was a really, good person now.

"What-OH COME ON!" We shared another laugh. I gazed around the room, where our Pokemon were...Poke-talking, or whatever. Melia said that it would help them bond a little bit with wild Pokemon once they got used to trained ones.

Treecko was leaning against the wall, chatting with Melia's Togepi, or Hapi, which was also, apparently a shiny...Wow. Koffing was just floating around, hanging out with Venam's Seviper and Whirlipede, and Froakie was talking with Murkrow. I should probably let them roam outside their Pokeballs more often.

…

Venam and Ren eventually left, and by that point, I was tired. I let Treecko and Koffing sleep outside of their balls, the two lying down on a white carpet, a small distance away from each other. Melia's Togepi was sleeping on a pillow beside her bed.

Melia wore a red long-sleeved polo and red pants for her pajamas. When she asked why I didn't have any, I replied:

"It's probably at the bottom of the ocean."…And the tiredness/elatedness must have gotten to me, because I wasn't thinking when I replied with that. I shortly realized what I said once I saw Melia's expression.

"What..?"

"…I'll tell you another time…" I sighed. Wasn't in much point telling her what happened, anyways. She's done only good things to me, so no point in telling her for the sake of some pity. Melia didn't seem satisfied by that, but dropped the topic anyways.

…

I lied down on the sofa on the left side of the room, eyes closed and hands in my pockets. My head was rested on one of the sofa's armrests, and a cozy blanket covered my body from neck to toe.

"Goodnight Aev!"

"…Goodnight, Melia."

…Despite the awkward event just a few minutes ago…I enjoyed today. This definitely wasn't how I anticipated my first day in Aevium going…but it was definitely one to remember, for good and bad reasons…

I sighed, again, and tried to fall asleep. I ended up tossing and turning on the small couch for about…thirty minutes, before I fell asleep. Probably just a feeling of Paranoia.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

 **Welp, I guess that's chapter 3. Sorry for the fluff above. We don't really see anything of Ren, Venam, and Melia unless you count Melia's Audition Tape in her room, and because Aevis needed an actual reason to care when Melia "died"…yeah.**

 **Was this scene a bit cheesy/stupid/completely cringy? Yes, but friends always do stupid things with each other, and Rejuvenation always seemed to have a point of being optimistic in an unfair world. Of course, it can go from optimistic to ridiculously naïve at some points, but that's my personal opinion.**

 **Was this scene inspired by Where Love Lies?...To be honest it wasn't intentional, but once I realized it, I just rolled with it.**

" **There's not a sofa in Melia's room!"**

 **There's also not a bathroom anywhere in the Rejuvenation universe, unless you count time traveling. And a majority of the routes are actually fairly short, even Terajuma Jungle, unless you count V8 and below…Or was it V6? Idk, so expect some of those routes to be extended to be bigger than what you'd see in game.**

 **Also, like I said last chapter, there will be no shipping. I didn't add that scene for shipping.**

 **Well, not much to say here. On with the Omake!...I think. I think it's called an Omake.**

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

 **OMAKE:**

The sound of the ship's horns' blared through the halls of the ship, making me cover my ears at the loud noise. I sighed, walking down the wooden flooring, looking for something. I gazed out a window, curiously glancing through the night. A full moon was high in the sky, a single star twinkling, and the ocean solemn and calm. I turned back to the hall, walking.

I spot my mom, smiling and waving at me. She said nothing, but grabbed my hand and led me through the hall, a warm smile on her face. I followed without a second thought.

We began walking, passing by a small group of children, who were playing amongst themselves. I didn't pay much mind to them.

Mom led me to a large set of double doors. We pushed the doors open, and blackness was everywhere as far as the eye could see. I walked in without a second thought, somehow walking on nothing.

I turn back, and all I could see were the double doors, and Mom. She smiled sweetly, and said:

"I'm sorry."

I didn't say anything back.

The doors closed, Mom gone. A light flashed abruptly before my eyes, brighter than anything else I've ever seen, and suddenly, I was on the ship's front deck. Thunder was roaring and rain was falling harshly onto the deck.

I turned back, where that woman stood, her tied-purple hair flying in the wind, a sinister smile on her face. She snapped her fingers, tentacle-Pokemon emerging and surrounding me, centering their tentacles and charging. I felt myself shaking, my hands trembling at my sides.

Numerous blasts thundered around me, engulfing me in light.

Before I knew it, I began to fall, faster, faster, and faster, descending deeper, and deeper into nothing. Everything around me was pitch black. The "Nothing" around me was pitch black.

I couldn't do anything but let myself fall, endlessly...

I glanced at my torso, which was slowly becoming darker, as if falling deeper and deeper into a hole and losing light. Eventually, my own body was pitch black. I couldn't even see myself.

I was nothing.

…

I remained frozen.

…

My eyes opened, a sharp gasp escaping my lips.

I began hyperventilating a bit, laying a hand over my chest. I slowly sat up straight on the sofa, carefully gazing around the dark room. Melia was in her bed, sleeping peacefully, and everything else was as it was before. I sniffed, and pressed a pillow against my face, tears beginning to emerge.

I curled my knees up into a ball and cried my eyes out, doing my best not to wake Melia or my Pokemon up.

…

I miss Mom.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

… **Yeah that was short. But it was a dream, and dreams are short…right?**

 **I barely remember my own dreams, and I used a lot of clichés in dream symbolism, which I'm sure is just ridiculously vague that it doesn't make sense since I just Googled it for about 10 minutes, simultaneously finding out dreams usually last for about 5 minutes. And since I'm generally terrible with emotional scenes in general…**

 **So, most likely a bad Omake. I'm sorry. I'll try and get better with "emotional" scenes.**

 **Anyways, not much to say here, really.**

 **Feel free to leave your criticism, tips, ideas, suggestions or just thoughts on the story so far in the reviews! No reviews this time around, which isn't really surprising.**

 **Thank you for reading, and have a great day.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rejuvenation**

 **I don't own Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I did, they would suck. A lot.**

…

A loud _"Koff"_ woke me up from my sleep. I lazily opened my eyes, grabbing my cap on top of the bedside table beside the couch…wait was it called a sofaside table now or-

Treecko's cries interrupted my thought process. I raised my head to see the scenehappening before me. Koffing's mouth was firmly latching onto my berry pouch, and Treecko was on the other end, sneering, and trying to pull it away. The two were in a tug-o-war for a few seconds, and I just sat there like this was some sort of sitcom.

…

"Good morning?" I greeted with an eyebrow raised. My two Pokemon turned towards me, their eyes widened. Koffing "subtly" released his bite on the pouch and let Treecko fall onto the rug. The Grass-type scowled at Koffing, his back against the carpet.

"…What were you two doing?" I questioned. The two began to rapidly…"talk" to me, and I'm guessing they were talking trash about the other, or were coming up with excuses, or…some third thing.

"Good morning Aev!" Melia greeted, opening the bathroom door in her usual clothes, brushing her hair in front of the bathroom mirror.

"Morning…Do you know what my Pokemon were doing?"

"Koffing was trying to take berries from your pouch and Treecko tried to stop him or her." Koffing's jaw dropped in response, and Treecko had a smug grin on his face from her reply. I groaned and stared at the Poison-Type, who stayed still in the air. I sighed, and pulled out the Poison-Type's Pokeball.

"Return." Melia giggled lightly at that, and resumed to brush her hair in the bathroom mirror.

…

AevisDon'tYouDareThinkAboutItAevisDon'tYouDareThinkAboutItAevisDon'tYouDareThinkAboutItAevisDon'tYouDareThinkAboutItAevisDon'tYouDareThinkAboutItAevisDon'tYouDareThinkAboutIt-

I slapped myself on my reddened face, somewhat painfully, to…clean the thoughts inside my head…Treecko raised an eyebrow at me for that. Melia eventually walked out of the bathroom, fixing a red bow on her hair, for a bit longer than she should.

"Alright, Aev, you should go take a shower, The Laboratory should be serving breakfast soon, best not be late." She reminded.

"I don't have any other clothes."

"I know. I made dad buy you some while you were still asleep."

…

"What?" I said, dumbfounded at the response. Melia smiled lightly, before pulling out a green and black backpack, with multiple layers of clothing inside, all neatly folded up.

"I've seen your type of clothing around here before, so I asked dad to go and buy you. I didn't really know if you had any preferences, so I just bought clothes that seemed the most identical to what you're wearing right now. Had to guess sizes to, so…sorry if you don't like it…" She drawled out the last part.

…

"This is too much…" I barely whispered out. Melia seemed to beam at that.

"It's alright! Having the Professor as your dad comes with perks, you know! I've got a pretty good allowance every week, and besides, Dad agreed to it too! So wipe that kicked Growlithe look off your face!" She encouraged enthusiastically.

"…You're…amazing…" I thanked, trying to ignore the blood rushing to my cheeks again. Melia giggled.

"You're welcome! You should really go take a shower now though, you're starting to stink." She joked, pinching her nose and walking out of the room.

I sighed to myself, a smile on my face. I glanced at my Starter…who had some sort of weird look on his face, like he knew something I didn't…I decided not to question it and just took a shower.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

I exited Melia's room, Treecko sat on my shoulder, the Grass-type hugging one knee. I carried both the Backpack and my Messenger bag, moving an item or two for convenience. The clothes weren't exactly the same as my old ones, but it was usually just a zipper or two misplaced, or a color or two a bit brighter or darker than it should have been. I didn't mind much, since it was just clothes.

I entered the lobby, and spotted Melia among the multiple sets of tables and chairs. I went over and sat down on the opposite side of the table, a plate of pancakes on top. On the ground, there were multiple bowls of Pokemon food, four taken by Melia's Pokemon…which were all shiny too…

"…Do you have a Pokemon that's not shiny?" I sweatdropped, glancing at her team.

"No, not really." She replied mareepishly. "You should let your Pokemon eat, all of this is free of charge for trainers." She explained. I nodded, and let Treecko leap to the ground and take one of the bowls. I mentally debated with myself whether or not to let Koffing eat, for "punishment" or something…

I…couldn't really find it in myself to make him skip a meal, and released him onto the floor, eating alongside the others. Treecko notably gave me a deadpanned expression at that…I'm sorry, I'm weak, okay?

"Why do you have all Normal-types?" I questioned.

"Oh. I'm the Normal-Type Gym Leader in Grand Dream City…well, Gym Leader-to-be, anyways."

Oh…Well apparently…I'm friends with a Gym Leader, to be, anyways…Not to sound greedy, but does that come with benefits?...That sounded wrong. I shook off the thought and began to eat my pancakes.

"What do you think of my team?" Melia asked as she sliced through her pancakes. I shrugged.

"Seems like a nice bunch." She shook her head.

"I mean, in terms of battling. Are they properly balanced? I understand that Gym Leaders have to lose, but shouldn't I give my challengers a challenge? Hapi is the only one that resists Fighting-Types, although Stufful's ability counters most Fighting-Type moves already, but then again moves like **Aura Sphere** and **Vacuum Wave** still damage it greatly. My team's balanced in terms of speedy and bulky, but I think I need another speed Pokemon, or maybe one with a special ability to counter some of my weaknesses, since they mostly revolve around Physical moves, but there are still things I think I can improve on, especially movesets. I have a decent type coverage, but that's mostly for Monotyped-Pokemon, what do you think?"

…

I blinked. Once. Twice. The explanation was fairly simple to understand for me…I think…actually, no, it wasn't, and coming up with a response wasn't easy either.

"Oh. Right. Sorry, I forgot you only became a trainer yesterday." Melia said in realization, mareepishly scratching her neck, thank Arceus. "Sorry if that sounded complicated. I'm one of the Gym Leaders trainers face early-on, so I want to make a good first impression."

"…How did the others react to your questions?" I asked. She timidly scratched her shoulder.

"Well, I've been thinking about my team as a Gym Leader for a long time, they usually reacted with the typical responses of "Your team's fine, just train them in their respective roles and raise them with care." Among other things. I…admittedly may have thought up my team a bit too much." She admitted, her face a bit red. It made me feel a bit relieved to know someone like Melia still felt nervous about battling.

After several minutes of eating, we returned our Pokemon to our balls. Treecko stayed on my shoulder though, hugging a knee.

"You're done eating?" Melia asked politely. I nod. "I have to talk with my dad for a bit, do you mind waiting here?" She asked. I shook my head. She smiled, and walked back into the back of the Laboratory.

I sat down near the TV as I waited for her return. Nothing really interesting was happening-

" _What had caused the S.S. Oceana to not arrive in the docks of Oceana Pier?"_ I immediately paid attention to the TV after that.

" _We're here today, with Elite 8 Member Tesla Von Brandt, who had recently surveyed the seas in search of the lost ship."_

Tesla…

SHE'S A MEMBER OF THE ELITE 8?!

…I felt a light tap on my head. I turned to see Treecko with a somewhat worried expression on his face. I'm guessing he noticed my shock from the news. Aevium had 18 gyms, and 8 Elite Members, and I apparently knew one of the most powerful trainers in Aevium at the moment. I returned my attention towards the TV.

" _We thank you for coming here today, Tesla."_ A reporter thanked, sitting across a table from Tesla…I should probably call her Ms. Tesla from now on.

" _Thank you for having me."_ She replied.

" _What can you tell the citizens of Gearen, and Aevium as a whole about the sudden disappearance of S.S. Oceana?"_ The reporter questioned, the camera inching closer to the Elite 8 member.

"… _I deeply apologize for being the bearer of bad news…but I…well, first and foremost, I'd like to mention that I found someone from within the seas, or rather, my Talonflame did, who had come from the said ship."_

…Crap, she's talking about me.

" _Really? And can you tell us who this person is?"_ I gulped a bit at that. Treecko's feet tapped against my shoulder, and I couldn't really tell if that was consoling or annoying.

" _I'd…rather not say for now. He's not the type to speak much, and I don't want to burden him with any attention he wouldn't want."_ I released a sigh of relief. Thank you, so much, Ms. Tesla.

" _I will say this though: S.S. Oceana is likely no more."_ Ms. Tesla followed up, resulting in light gasps from the others watching the TV in the center.

" _When I was there, the seas were empty, save for small floating pieces of debris. I found several bodies of the dead floating around the same spot as the debris, and I believe there's a possible suspect for what happened to the ship: Team Xen."_ I raised an eyebrow. Team Xen? Who were they? Some sort of terrorist group? The others in the Center didn't have too much of a reaction, though faint gasps could still be heard.

" _Team Xen? Haven't they been quiet for some time now?"_

" _It seems as though they've made their move. Among the flood of debris and dead bodies, one dead body in particular wore a black outfit, a red X etched over their torso. It's possible that they were merely at a wrong place at a wrong time, but that's rather unlikely."_ She explained, before directly faving the camera.

" _I don't know what their intentions are, but I assure you that the League will do our best to make sure Aevium remains a peaceful region."_ Ms. Tesla assured. The reporter nodded, and turned back to the camera.

" _Alright folks, you heard it here. S.S. Oceana attacked by Team Xen. Now, we only have a few more questions…"_ I tuned out the TV after that, and rested my elbows on my knees. I…wasn't really sure what to make of this.

The ship was no more, most likely sank to the bottom of the ocean, which basically confirmed…the thought that Mom was most likely dead…I…didn't know what to think. I wanted to cry right then and there, but I basically remained frozen in that position for a while, not really thinking. What should I do now? "Take Revenge?" That's unlikely, and I'd probably die in the process…Although the thought of revenge was admittedly-

"You okay?"

"GAH!" I yelped, turning to see the blonde girl beside me, chuckling.

"…Stop doing that." I muttered.

"Sorry. You seemed interested in the program, so I didn't disturb you. How come you were so interested in the ship?" She asked innocently. I gulped. How should I answer? Should I even answer at all? Would it be pitiful to answer?

"…I've met Ms. Tesla recently." I answered vaguely.

"Oh! So you're a fan of her too?" Melia beamed. I slowly shook my head, mareepishly scratching my neck.

"Not exactly…" I mumbled. Melia raised an eyebrow, and I decided to quickly change the topic.

"We should get going, the train station should be up by now." I suggested. She paused for a moment, before shrugging and nodding in agreement.

"Sure! Let's go!" I release a small sigh of relief, again. I glanced at my Starter, who seemed to have the same concerned look on his face. I ignored it, for now.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

"Apologies, but the train station is still going under some tests to assure safety. It should be available within the next hour. We hope you two understand." The Guard in front of the station explained. Melia drooped a bit at the news, but brushed it off.

"Thank you." She thanked before walking away.

"Well, we have around an hour to kill. Anything you want to do?" Melia asked. I shrugged in response.

"Hang out with Venam and Ren?"

"Ren sent me a text earlier and said he'd be doing something for Professor Jenner, I'll try asking Venam though." Melia replied, pulling out her CyberNav and beginning to text her.

I peered over her shoulder, which might have been a bit…rude, but Melia didn't seem to pay attention to me. She typed in her message…then deleted it, then typed it again…and deleted it…and typed it again…

"Um…Are you okay?" I asked, noting her multiple erasures. She blinked.

"Oh. Just want to make sure that I don't accidentally imply something." She responded, typing again. I noted that she typed with capital letters, and with all the other correct grammar things. I'm guessing she's a bit of a perfectionist? Or was she must a really good typer?

"She's scheduled to be stuck in her gym for the day." Melia sighed, closing her CyberNav...What?

"Venam's a Gym Leader too?" I asked. Melia turned to me, a slightly surprised expression on her face.

"Yeah. She runs the Poison-Type Gym here in East Gearen. I'm surprised you didn't know."

…

Greeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.

Even more of a reason to catch and train more Pokemon…Next you're telling me that Ren's a Gym Leader too. Poison-Types? That does not bode well with me, or my two Pokemon. I glanced at Treecko, who didn't really have any notable reaction, but I felt his tail twitching a bit on my back.

"I'm going to have a bad time in there." I grumbled, getting a light laugh from the girl.

"You'll do fine…Well, once you catch more Pokemon, anyways." She consoled.

"I think we should get you used to East Gearen a bit more, so is there anywhere you haven't visited yet?" She asked politely. I thought for a moment.

"…The Mansion, Library, and the Help Center" She beamed at the last one, for some reason.

"We're heading to the Help Center then!" She grabbed me by the hand and basically started to drag me there. Treecko snickered at me a bit for that.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

We eventually arrived to the Help Center. Taking in the bluish décor, I walked up towards the Bulletin Board, Melia followed shortly.

"Help Requests usually give out pretty good rewards, even Pokemon!" She explained. "I'd suggest doing it from up-to-down if you really want to try and do as many as you can though." She suggested. I nodded, and turned back towards the board.

The first one was… **Missing Mother** -

I abruptly took the paper attached to the board, and read it mentally. I shoved it into my pocket and immediately began to walk out.

"Aev? Where are you-"

"Chose a Help Request, let's go." I cut her off, before blinking. "…Sorry if I sounded rude there." I apologized, scratching my arm.

"…It's okay, Aev. What got a rise out of you, though?" Melia asked. I didn't know myself, but something tells me it should be fairly obvious to me.

"Nothing in particular, really."

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

Not a lot really happened when we did the quest. We went to the Florist Shop, which was basically a haircut salon for people and Pokemon. We talked to the daughter, or more accurately, Melia talked to Sasha, whose mother just so happened to be the owner of the establishment. In the end though, we ended up going on a wild Golduck chase.

We ran from one building, to the next, back again, to the next, back again, and again. The three of us eventually ended up in Oceana Pier, where the sky was rainy, again.

"I just did my hair…" Melia drooped, her hair dripping wet from the rain. I chuckled a bit at her saddened expression…that sounded wrong.

"Well, we're here." Sasha stated, the three of us standing in front of a small building.

"Why here?" Melia asked.

"I had a few customers who were fine with an amateur brushing their or their Pokemon's hair. Heard some gossip about a woman hanging out in this building. Didn't really think it could he my mom until now." Sasha explained.

"How do we get in?" Melia asked again.

"Picked up a lockpicking skill or two after Mom kept forgetting where the keys to her own shop was." Sasha explained again, kneeling down and lock picking the door, easily opening it.

"Alright, let's go." The three of us walked in. I wasn't sure what to expect, although my mind somehow painted me the image of a woman tied up to a chair. Instead…we got children sat down on chairs, a woman trimming their hair.

"MOM?!" Sasha screamed, stomping towards the woman.

"Sasha? What are you doing here?"

"What am _I_ , doing here? You've been gone for three days, _three_ days! No note, no damn message either! Why the hell are you here?!" Sasha cut off, resulting in a somewhat regretful look on the mother's face.

"Sasha…As you know we're a branch from Grand Dream City. If the mayor found out that I've been giving out free haircuts…Well, you'll understand when you're older." She answered vaguely, which only seemed to piss her off more, which was fairly understandable.

"When I'm older?! You've been gone for three damn days! You left me alone to take care of the shop! You even your Lily alone in there!" Sasha exclaimed. I raised an eyebrow at that, but realized it was a nickname for the Liligant there.

"Sasha, please. You'll understand some other time. Just know that I've been gone for a good reason."

…

Sasha's head dropped, her purple twin tails falling to the floor.

"So, it's such a good reason that you left your own _daughter_ on her own for three days without even a note?" The mother noticeably flinched at that, but didn't get a chance to reply.

"It's _such_ , a good reason, that it's perfectly fine to make the daughter worry for three days? Wondering whether or not their mom died or got kidnapped? Nearly crying themselves to sleep at night, too?" Sasha said bitterly.

"Sasha…please-"

"A reason _SO_ important, that it involved taking care of children that you don't even know, but don't bother telling your own daughter? Are these children just…more important than me? Do you love them more than me? Do you just think that I'm not worth a two second message? I-I could've helped you, y-you know…" She sobbed, tears beginning to fall onto the ground.

"Sasha, I-" The mother reached out her hand, only to get it slapped.

"No. Shut up. Goodbye." Sasha turned heel and began to walk out.

"Your reward will be in the Help Center. Sorry for wasting your time."

…

"Apologize to her." I blurted out, turning to glare at the mother, as if it was an order. I wasn't fully conscious when I said that, but I certainly don't regret it. I don't care what the reason is, leaving a note takes two minutes, and this…person was gone for three whole days.

"…I…will." The mother barely whispered.

"Ms. Row-sa? Can you bwaid my hwair?" A toddler asked, and I couldn't help but feel hateful towards him at that moment, glaring at him. He was a toddler, yes, but they could understand the situation? Right?

"…Another time, Johnny. I need to…make amends with my daughter." She answered, beginning to walk out, like she honestly should. I grunted, and turned to Melia…who had a somewhat surprised look on her face.

"You…look mad." She noted. I blinked.

"…Guess I am." I replied somewhat bitterly, beginning to walk out myself, hands in my pockets. Treecko's expression remained neutral.

I walked out of the building, Melia following behind me. I released a deep sigh, the rain still pouring down as hard as ever.

"Well…that went…worse than I expected." Melia admitted, head tilting towards the ground.

"Agreed." I sighed. Treecko let out a short cry, that I'm guessing was also agreeing.

"Well, this only means that the next will be better, right?" Melia tried to stay optimistic, beginning to walk towards the gate. I rolled my eyes. I appreciated her attitude, but I highly doubt it-

I hastily jumped back as a burning stream of fire incinerated the concrete floor where I was standing a moment ago.

"What was that?!" I exclaimed, Melia rushing to my side. Treecko cried out loud, pointing its hand towards a trio of Fire-types, one large one and two smaller ones, which I admittedly did not recognize. I pulled out my Pokedex and scanned them.

 **Pyroar:** _ **The Royal Pokemon**_

 _ **The male with the largest mane of fire is the leader of the pride.**_

 **Moveset: ?**

 **Ability: ?**

 **Gender:** _ **Male**_

 **Litleo:** _ **The Lion Cub Pokemon**_

 _ **They set off on their own from their pride and live by themselves to become stronger. These hot-blooded Pokémon are quick to fight.**_

 **Moveset: ?**

 **Ability: ?**

I glanced at my Pokedex, then at the trio.

Pokedex. Trio. Pokedex. Trio. Pokedex. Trio. Pokedex. Trio. Pokedex…Trio…

I slowly turned towards Melia, a look of disbelief on my face.

"...Is that Pyroar a _Shiny_?" I asked, noting the purple and pink mane alongside the grayish body. Melia blinked.

"…Yes."

…

The conversation didn't go much further than that as the two Litleo's unleashed a duo barrage of **Ember** onto us, firing a blizzard of pellets. Treecko instinctively leapt from my shoulder and fired a barrage of crescents with **Razor Wind** , countering the attacks.

"Thanks, Treecko." I thanked, the Grass-type nodding.

"Help would be appreciated." I said, turning towards Melia, who pulled out her Pokeball.

"Buneary!" The purple and white Shiny popped out, arms stretched out.

"I'll deal with a Litleo, and you go deal with the other Litleo. I'll let my Eevee keep the Pyroar busy until we're done with our respective Litleos." Melia assigned, pulling out another Pokeball, sending out said Pokemon. I nodded, thankful that I didn't have to deal with the Pyroar.

"Treecko! **Quick Attack!**" Treecko zoomed towards a Litleo, who ignited its body in response, charging at the Grass-type.

"Dodge to the side and use **Acrobatics!** " I ordered, since it worked well enough before. Treecko promptly stopped and slid to the side, his body blazing blue, before shortly getting cut off by a torrent of fire. I quickly turned my head towards the source of the flame, the Pyroar being the clear culprit. Eevee shortly attacked the Fire-type afterwards, only to have little to no effect.

I grunted, and sent out Koffing. "Keep Pyroar busy. **Gyro Ball!** " I ordered. The Poison-type spun and rocketed for the Fire-type Pokemon. I turned my attention back to my Treecko, and issued the next attack.

" **Razor Wind!**" Treecko's tail blazed blue and released a flurry of crescent-shaped projectiles. Litleo hoped from space to space, maneuvering around the attacks.

" **Quick Attack!** " I ordered, the Grass-type bolted for Litleo, colliding and knocking it back a good bit, its feet dragged across the ground. I initially thought of **Absorb,** but this needed to be quick or Pyroar would interrupt again.

"Keep going! **Acrobatics!** " Treecko darted for Litleo, its hands and feet flared blue, before unleashing a swift series of kicks and jabs at the Fire-type, finishing it off and blowing it back again. Alright. It looked damaged, so just one more move should finish it off-

My thought process was interrupted when a horribly loud howl roared from the Pyroar, reflexively making me cover up my ears, wincing a bit. Treecko was in a similar situation, although the Litleo seemed unaffected. Its body flared, charging towards Treecko.

"Dodge!" I called out, but was unheard as Treecko stood its ground, his eyes closed and ears covered. Litleo smashed into Treecko, throwing him back towards my feet. The roaring finally stopped, and Treecko started to get back up. I released a sigh of relief. Thank Arceus it was raining.

Litleo's mouth glowed orange, releasing another storm of fiery pellets, which thankfully were weakened thanks to the rain. Treecko easily fled from the pellets, circling around the Fire-type.

"Again! **Quick Attack** followed by **Acrobatics**!" I called out. Treecko swiftly dashed towards Litleo again, and the moment he made contact, instantly released a flurry of jabs and kicks once more, blowing him back again. I grinned in victory.

"Finish it with one more **Quick Attack!** " Treecko grinned a bit, but was suddenly coiled by a blue flame, halting the Grass-type and giving him a red hue. Again, it was the Pyroar, using **Will-O-Wisp**. I noted that Melia was still dealing with her Litleo, but she was…trying to catch it?

…Well it is a Normal-type, so I guess it makes sense. I turned my attention back to Treecko, who was breathing heavily.

" **Razor Wind!**" I ordered through gritted teeth. Treecko hesitated, before leaping and firing a barrage of projectiles, noticeably slower. Litleo smirked, and engulfed its body in flames, charging at the Grass-type, easily avoiding the attacks.

"Quick! **Absorb!** " Treecko sluggishly raised his hands, releasing two red streams that latched onto Litleo, absorbing its energy into Treecko, who looked slightly better, but was still on the verge of fainting. Treecko stopped its attack, and, thank Arceus, the Litleo collapsed onto the ground, fainted.

"Finally…" I mumbled. Treecko breathed in and out, resting a bit. I was surprised on how well he did against a weaker typing, even if it was raining…Wait wasn't there still-

A stream of fire suddenly blasted past me, Koffing being on the receiving end, crashing down onto the concrete floor.

"Huh?" I said in confusion as Koffing slowly hovered back up. I turned my head, and saw the Pyroar…pouncing towards me, its mouth flaming with heat.

 _Chomp!_

…

An excruciating pain suddenly shot up in my shoulder. I felt numb and dazed, still trying to process what was happening. A burning sensation radiated through my left shoulder, following up with the sharp fangs harshly chomping on my skin.

I released an agonizing scream, and reflexively began flailing my arm around like a maniac. Lightning was roaring in through the sky and I could feel the rain became heavier as it crashed down.

Treecko let out some sort of cry, but he was too exhausted from the battle to move. I heard Melia yell something out, but I couldn't make it out over my own screaming.

In a panic I ordered Koffing, " **SELF-DESTRUCT! SELF-DESTRUCT!** "

That was the last thing I remembered before blacking out.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

…

I lazily opened my eyes, rubbing them with my right hand. I slowly sat up on…a bed. Where was I?

"Oh, good, you're awake." A voice said beside me, which was Nurse Joy.

"Where…am I?" I asked, observing my surroundings, looking to be an ordinary hospital room.

"Gearen Laboratory. Your friend brought you here and demanded for you to be treated immediately." Nurse Joy answered, before smiling a bit.

"It's good to see you're making friends despite your quiet nature." So this was the same Nurse Joy yesterday? How do those work? How do they even get paid? Why do they all look the same?...I'm going to accept that I'll probably never know the answer to any of those questions.

"What happened?" I inquired, head tilted. I tried to stand up, supporting myself with my left arm, but a sharp pain stabbed my shoulder, tumbling me back.

"Take it easy! It's not easy recovering from a Pyroar's **Fire Fang**. Especially if you're human! You're lucky that you weren't bit for long, otherwise you could've broken a bone or two, and the rain helped null some of the burn damage." Nurse Joy explained. I slowly glanced towards my shoulder, my jacket's shoulder having a hole torn in it. I could see some white bandages on my arm under my jacket. I slowly positioned my left hand into my jacket's pocket, as if slinging my hand there.

Right, I blacked out…from a Wild Pokemon battle…

…Arceus I'm pathetic. I blacked out from a damn Wild Pokemon…In the city no less…I really need to get better at directions, and training my-

"Where's my Pokemon?" I blurted out.

"Your friend said that your Pokemon were injured, so I decided to heal them up for you. Hope you don't mind." I sighed in relief.

"Thank you…How's my shoulder?" I asked, glancing at said body part.

"Well, other than the burn mark and the bleeding, you should be relatively fine. It's not serious enough to need a cast around your arm if that's what you're asking. I'd suggest not using your left arm for the next day or two though." She advised, smiling. I nodded in thanks, and decided to ask about my Pokemon's condition.

"How's Koffing after his **Self-Destruct**?" I asked. I know that I made him use it yesterday, but I was worried that it might have had some sort of effect on him. Nurse Joy rose an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? There wasn't anything about his condition showing that he could have used **Self-Destruct**."

What? So…did Koffing not use **Self-Destruct**? I was in a panic when I said that, but Koffing should have understood it, right? He was right next…to…me…

…Oh.

"…How's Treecko?" I asked. I could wonder on how Pyroar got off my shoulder if he didn't **Self-Destruct** later.

"We administered a quick restore on him, to heal him and cure his burnt condition." She answered. I sighed in relief.

"Although," she followed up. "I suggest having a nice talk with him, though." She advised, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Treecko was your starter, correct?" She inquired, to which I nodded, slightly confused. "You'll find out for yourself once you talk time him." I raised an eyebrow. Did Treecko blame me for failing him? I mean, he nearly fainted against a Litleo and I blacked out against a Wild Pokemon. He's probably…I don't know…

"Would you like to see your Pokemon?" She offered. I somewhat reluctantly nodded in response. She walked out of the room, and a moment later, she walked back in with two minimized Pokeballs.

"Here you go!" She said, handing me the Pokeballs. I nodded in thanks, and silently glanced at them.

...

"…Can I talk to them…privately?" I asked timidly. A part of me thought it was…weird to want to talk to me Pokemon alone. Since I'm a trainer though, it's basically part of my duty to do so. She smiled, and walked out of the room.

…

I hesitated for a moment, before sending them both out onto the floor. The two observed their location for a moment, before turning towards me. Koffing seemed…normal, but there was a bit of worry present on his face, and Treecko sneered, and turned away.

" _Koffing Koff!"_ Koffing broke the silence, glancing towards my shoulder, noting the jacket's tear and the bandages under it.

"…It's fine. It'll heal in a day or two." I waved off. Koffing seemed slightly relieved from this.

"You did a good job holding off Pyroar…sorry that I made you fight it without me in the first place though." I apologized, scratching my neck with my right hand. Koffing seemed to be dismissive of it, shaking his head/body.

"…Why didn't you use **Self-Destruct**?" I asked. He recoiled slightly from the question, but sighed, gesturing towards the bed, and turned upside down, as if playing dead. It took me a few moments to understand what that meant.

"…You thought it would…" I drawled, silently sliding a finger across my throat, to which the Poison-type nodded.

" _Koffing Koff!-_ " He then proceeded to repeat his name a multitude of times, drawling out each time. I tilted my head, and he could tell that I was confused. He sighed. I really wish I could talk Pokemon. He glanced towards the Grass-type in the room. Instead of looking…annoyed, he looked sympathetic…

Koffing let out a minute cry, directed towards me. He gestured towards Treecko, a sympathetic look still on his face.

"...Return for now, thanks Koffing." I smiled, returning the Poison-type. I silently glanced towards my Starter, who had his arms crossed and faced away.

…

"…I'm sorry that I failed you as a trainer." It was the first thing that came to mind. I mean, it's my starter and I made him lose, so-

" _Treecko! Treecko! Treecko!"_ He suddenly blurted out, now facing me with his arms stretched out. I was expecting a look of anger ons his face, but instead there was…regret?

…

"…You're...not mad at me..?" I asked, to which he furiously shook his head. At this point, I was really confused.

"…But, you're mad at someone, right?" I asked again. Treecko hesitated for a moment, before nodding.

"Who?" Treecko spoke his cry several times, which only made me even more confused. He eventually realized that I couldn't understand him, and raised a hand, before pointing it…towards himself.

"…You're mad at yourself..?" I drawled in disbelief, to which he nodded.

"Why?" Treecko looked away for a moment, shame on his face.

"…Do you blame yourself for what happened to me?" I barely whispered. Treecko slowly turned his head towards me, and hesitantly nodded.

...He…blamed himself….Of course. He's my starter…Whatever knocked out that Pyroar, whether it was one of Melia's Pokemon or something else, it wasn't him. He wasn't the one to save me. He felt like he was responsible for saving me, as his Pokemon, and more importantly, as my Starter, and he didn't, he _couldn't_. He…felt helpless. Useless.

Did Koffing feel in a similar way?

…

"It's…not your fault, Treecko. Not at all." I stated with certainty. "If anything, it's mine. I could've just decided to run away, after all. If I did, I wouldn't have gotten an injured shoulder, and you two wouldn't have gotten hurt." I argued. Treecko sneered a bit at that, but it seemed mostly directed towards himself.

"…Why are you so attached to me? We've only known each other for a day." I questioned, genuinely curious. Treecko sighed, and stayed silent, and I'm guessing it knew that I wouldn't be able to understand anything he would say. Why? Why was he so attached? I really couldn't understand. Was he homeless before he was taken into the lab? Was he like me, in a way?

I sighed, knowing that I'll probably never get an answer…Doesn't mean I'll leave my starter sad like this though.

…

Damn it Aevis think of something to cheer your Starter up.

I slowly stood up, and knelt down to his level, keeping eye contact with him. I gently reached out my right hand and embraced him, which seemed to have caught him off guard.

"…It's not your fault. It's…no one's fault." I said, knowing that blaming myself will only make him blame himself more.

"Both of us are still new to this. I'm a completely new trainer, and you're not used to having a trainer…I think…So, how about we just…learn from the past?" I followed up, trying my best to avoid 'our mistakes' since that would probably imply someone at fault.

Treecko stayed frozen for a moment, before returning the hug with one arm. I sighed in relief, and released the hug, standing up.

"Come on, get on my shoulder…but not the left one." I said. The Grass-type bounced from the ground to the bed, landing on my right shoulder. I lightly patted him on the head, and walked out of the room.

I was fully aware that this didn't make Treecko (or me) feel _completely_ better, but hey, it was a start, right?

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

"Oh! You're done with talking to your Pokemon. How did it go?" Nurse Joy asked, standing behind a counter in the lobby. I glanced at Treecko, who glanced back. We both shrugged…and I slightly winced after that.

"Remember to be careful with your shoulder." She cautioned, to which I nodded.

"…Where's Melia?" I inquired. Nurse Joy frowned a bit at that.

"Well, she dropped you off here, told me about what happened, and left. I'm not sure myself." She shrugged. I sighed. Did she ditch me? I wouldn't be too surprised. I couldn't even take out a little Litleo.

…Although I much as I self-pity myself, Melia's already given me clothes and a place to stay. I doubt she would ditch me for something like that…right? Right?

"Oh! Speaking of Ms. Geller, Professor Jenner requests for you to be in his office." Nurse Joy remembered, to which I raised an eyebrow. Why did he want to see me?...And Melia's last name was Geller?

I nodded, and headed towards the left side. I walked through the gate, and climbed up the escalator, wondering on why he would have called me. I gave a glance towards Treecko, who shrugged. I walked into the Professor's office, the Professor sat down behind his desk.

"Ah, Aevis. Please, come in." He requested, gesturing towards a chair in front of his table. I gulped lightly, and sat down, left hand still inside my pocket. Treecko glanced around the office, and stayed cautious.

"How are you feeling?" He inquired, a friendly tone in his voice.

"…Fine. Not great, but fine." I replied. Jenner nodded.

"How well are you bonding with Treecko?"

"...He's a nice Pokemon. A bit hard on himself, though. Aren't we all though?" I replied, unintentionally saying the last part. Jenner nodded in response, clasping his hands together. A moment of silence filled the room, before the Professor sighed.

"…Let's just get to the point." He sighed. "Was the Pokemon that attacked you…a _Shiny?_ " That seemed like a specific question, but I nodded nonetheless. He sighed again.

"I believe that you're aware of Melia's ability, yes?" He asked again. I nodded hesitantly. Was he talking about her attracting Shinies?

"…Do you blame her for getting attacked?" I raised an eyebrow, and shook my head. What kind of question was that? The Professor sighed again, but he seemed to do so in relief.

"That is good to know. Melia should be in Goldenwood Forest right now. I suggest you go after her. Quickly." Again, I raised an eyebrow, to which he sighed again.

"I know that you might be confused…but this isn't the first time Melia's…blamed herself for such an attack." What?

"You see, Melia's ability may seem amazing…although her ability not only attracts Shinies, but powerful and rare Pokemon in general. What Pokemon bit you, again? A Pyroar, was it not?" I nodded my head again.

"They are not native to this part of the region, especially in Gearen City, and are generally a rare species to encounter. I have no doubt Melia also knows that, she is the daughter of the Pokemon Professor, after all." He explained.

…Oh.

"Is that what you talked about earlier this morning…?" I asked. He nodded.

"She was feeling paranoid. She thought that something terrible would happen. I reassured her that it would be fine, and that everything would go smoothly…" He bit his lip at the last line, as if regretfully.

"After our talk, she had been rather eager to head straight to Goldenwood Forest that she forgot her briefcase…" Professor Jenner said, eyes trailing towards the briefcase beside his desk. I could observe that he was…restraining himself, as if trying to stop himself from rushing, trying to keep himself calm.

"…Why was she calm back in the sewers?" I blurted out, half-conscious when I asked that.

"Hm? You encountered a Shiny in the sewers as well?" Jenner asked, surprised, to which I nodded. "I'm guessing you were able to defeat it, correct?" He asked, to which I nodded.

"She had my briefcase that time, didn't she?" He asked, a…sad smile present on his face. Why was he sad about that?

"…Like I said, this isn't the first time. She's lost friends in the past due to situations like this. And by that, I mean they thought she was…different, not that they were killed." He cleared up quickly.

"I want you to understand that she's always eager to make new friends. Although the moment when they find out about her ability…She's exploited and used to get Shiny Pokemon. If not, they stay, but are skeptical, until at some point, they're attacked by a Pokemon in Melia's presence. They blamed her, and left, even if the Pokemon wasn't a Shiny." He said, gritting his teeth at the last line.

"It's happened to her enough times that some people would even call her a bad omen at times." He followed up, a fist clenched.

"…But perhaps that's why she was so eager to be your friend. When you encountered that Shiny Pokemon in the sewers, you had no visible reaction, did you? Or at the very least, nothing over the top, correct?" I nodded my head. "And you had not even attempted to catch it, correct?" I nodded again.

"As of the moment, Ren and Venam are her only real friends. Venam's a childhood friend and Ren's been here for a little over a year now. I suppose that when she saw you able to take on a Shiny Pokemon that she thought she had attracted, she saw an opportunity for a new friend. She has not had a new one in quite some time, after all."

...

So that's why she trusted me..? Because I didn't freak out over a palette swap?

…That's…honestly sad.

"…I'd like to head to the forest now." I stated, standing up. I slowly began to walk back, until the Professor stopped me, a hand rested on my shoulder.

"Please, bring this to her." Jenner requested, holding up the gray briefcase. I took it, nearly dropping it onto the ground. It was heavier than I thought. I turned back towards him, a sad smile on his face.

"...Why are you trusting me with so much?" I questioned in curiosity. He sighed again.

"…I understand that I'm…somewhat burdening you, given your status as a new trainer…But allow me to spoil a secret I have." He began.

"I know you're a survivor from the S.S. Oceana."

…

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded. How the hell did he figure that out?

"…I do not have many people I can trust for this task…Just know that I chose you for a specific reason."

"What do you mean by that…?" I asked, curious.

"…Let's just say that I didn't expect you to be here…And that gives me a reason to trust you." What? He trusted me because I wasn't supposed to be here? What was I supposed to be? Dead...

…

"…You already knew what happened to ship?" I realized. He hesitantly nodded. "…Why is that a reason for you to trust me…?" I drawled out. He bit his lower lip at that.

"We can talk about this another time. I believe my daughter will be needing her briefcase, after all." Jenner reminded, avoiding the topic. I sighed, and began to walk out. I felt a hand grip onto my shoulder again, making me turn my head to face the Professor.

"…Please...Promise to keep my daughter safe."

"…I promise."

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

I headed for the station, battling a trainer or two along the way. Since I couldn't use my left hand to bring out my Pokeballs, Treecko did most of the battling, given that my right hand was occupied with Melia's briefcase. The thought of going to the Help Center crossed my mind to get the rewards, but I could do that later. Besides, I should have Melia with me. She did do most of the talking after all.

I entered the train station, and found a familiar face standing before me…

"Oh! Hello Aevis!" The Elite 8 Member greeted, a hand on her hip, and a smile on her face.

"Hello, Ms. Tesla." I greeted back. She snickered a bit.

"Ms? Don't say that, it makes me feel old." She jested. I mumbled a soft apology, which I don't think she heard. "Oh! Is that your starter?" She inquired, pointing towards the Pokemon on my shoulder.

"This is Treecko." I introduced, the Grass-type giving a nod.

"Nice to meet you Treecko!" She greeted.

"I…also caught a Koffing." I followed up. I didn't want him to be left out of the conversation.

"Oh! You've already caught a Pokemon in the wild?" She asked, a proud smile on her face, to which I nodded. She gave me a…warm embrace.

"I'm so proud of you!" She exclaimed, tightening the hug, which made my shoulder sting a bit...Despite the stinging feeling though...this...felt really motherly. A mother's embrace…After a moment or two, she let go of me. A part of me somewhat wished that she wouldn't let go.

"How are you adjusting to Aevium so far?"

"…Decently well…With all due respect, I'd like to get going to Goldenwood Forest." I requested. I really should get going now. She raised an eyebrow, and her eyes slowly trailed…towards my shoulder.

"Oh my-What happened?!" She questioned, concern in her voice. I gulped a bit.

"…I got bit by a wild Pokemon." I timidly responded. "…Please don't question it for now." I requested. She hesitated for a moment, before sighing and crossing her arms.

"I understand it's only been a day, and that Aevium's more…unique than other regions, but please be more careful." Ms. Tesla advised. I nodded.

"I understand." I replied. She smiled, and her eyes trailed down to the briefcase I was holding.

"What's that?" She inquired, pointing a finger.

"…Melia's briefcase." I responded. She smiled.

"Oh! Making friends already? Good for you! With the Professor's Daughter nonetheless." She beamed, before leaning forward and playfully whispering. "She's rather attractive too, don't you think~?" I blushed heavily.

"M-mom-!"

I quickly slapped my left hand over my mouth, shoulder be damned.

"...Oh" Ms. Tesla drawled, a shocked expression on her face.

…

"Thank you." She responded simply, and I could make out a small tear in her eye…what?

"You're heading to Goldenwood Forest, right?" She asked, pretending as if the situation never happened. I nodded in response. She turned around, and raised a finger towards the guard.

"One ticket to Goldenwood Forest, please!"

…

"What?" I reacted, dumbfounded. She handed over some money to the guardsman and handed me a ticket.

"Here you go!"

…

"…Thank you…so much." I thanked, grasping the ticket in my hand.

"No problem!...And…Aevis." She said, maintaining eye contact.

"Whenever you need to talk to someone, I'm here for you, okay?"

"…Okay…Thank you."

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

…

 **So…look at that. I managed to extend around ten minutes of gameplay to an entire chapter while adding some character to the characters…**

 **Did I do a good job? Probably not.**

 **This was probably a really risky move for me to do, considering how terrible I am at this sort of thing, but eh. I like this better than obliviously just playing through Mary Sue Melia for the first ten minutes, and expecting to care when she "dies". At least this way we're given a reason on why Melia suddenly trusts us so much, and one for Jenner too, kinda.**

 **Just in case I'm bad at the Jenner part, it's that he's paranoid that anyone he knows could be Team Xen, given on how close they're keeping their tabs on him...I think. I mean, he has, what's basically Madame X's "Ultimate Goal" sitting right in his home, so they should be keeping tabs on him, right?** **Jan and Amanda are there, but one's constantly filing paperwork and the oher's usually not there at all. Aevis' a survivor from basically a Team Xen attack, so he can be sure that he's not one.**

… **Are those good reasons? Hell if I know. It just feels so rushed, but I kinda have to make it like that because of Rejuvenation's really fast gameplay. I mean, before you even fight the first gym you have an encounter with the evil team.**

 **...**

 **Yes, I know it's still trash. Me iz dumb.  
**

 **I added in the Pokemon bit in because they're just as much of characters as the humans are, and this is the world of Pokemon, so might as well try to develop them, right?**

 **Sorry for rambling. A part of me feels like I need to explain and justify things. Sorry.**

 **Question, what are the ages of the characters? Or a general age group, anyways.**

 **Also, should I stick to the whole "Gym Leader" uses 6 Pokemon trope? I would use it later on, although I feel as though the earlier gyms would use a number of Pokemon equal to the number the challenger has instead…To be honest I'm asking this mostly because I suck at writing fight scenes and even more so at trying to keep people entertained in a 1v1, much less a 4-6v6.**

 **Review!**

…

 **WanderingPenguin16:** **First of all, Thank you for reading this fanfic and continuously reviewing it. I know that it's not exactly the world's greatest fanfic/trash, but thanks.**

 **I'm most likely going to add optimistic scenes if it shows a bit more of a character's relation to another. We only see Melia, Venam, and Ren under one roof ONCE, not counting the tape, so I decided to add a scene to show how much they're actually friends. Expect some more scene involving Ren and Venam btw.**

 **Awvis will gradually open up to people, because that's how people show they're getting more and more comfortable, and all.**

 **Yeah. That's generally my basis for Aevis, but also chalk down "Not the best Battler". I'm trying to make him lose a decent number of fights. Although honestly, it's just paranoia on trying to avoid the Gary Sue-ism.**

 **I actually caught a Koffing and used it up until the Magma Stone arc, where I replaced it with Salazzle. I do not regret using a Weezing. At all. It's amazing. Also, Destiny Bond is going to make some of the "Should be Impossible" fights easier to write…and I actually forgot about that move, so thanks!**

 **I don't think I did it masterfully, considering I'm just a random 14 year old who got bored and decided to do write even though I've never taken a writing class or something. I just kinda…did it. I used some of the** _ **"Poke-talk"**_ **here because it's somewhat hard to make them in a conversation if what they said is just mentioned instead of…mentioned.**

…

 **And that's it! Only one review! I shouldn't be surprised, but whoever's reading this, thank you! You…around 10 or something people. I know this fanfic is trash, but thanks!**

 **Also! Note: I will only use "canon" Pokemon, meaning whatever Pokemon is in that area and is catchable, or whatever event Pokemon is available is what can be used. If you can't get it at that point of the game, I'm not making up some sort of BS reason to justify why my character has a…Hydreigon or something.**

 **Translation: Aevis is going to have an interesting (But not overpowered, actually probably the opposite) team…**

 **Feel free to leave your criticism, tips, ideas, suggestions, Omake ideas or just thoughts on the story so far in the reviews! How did I do here? Did I do decently enough at giving them character-ness? Or was I a terrible shit-storm?**

 **Thank you for reading, and have a great day.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Rejuvenation**

 **I don't own either Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I did, they would both suck. A lot.**

…

I stepped off of the train, Treecko still perched on my right shoulder.

"…Wow..." I drawled in awe, gazing at the forest of golden trees under a clear blue sky. A breeze of nature's fresh greeted me, softly rustling my bangs. Treecko seemed to be happy to see actual nature, breathing in the clean air.

I shook my head, and continued into the forest. Need to find Melia.

…Well, forest was a bit of a relative term. In all honesty, the area looked more like a park, just with a very large river, and without the benches. The sound of Vivillons flying and twirling through the sky echoed through the forest, leaving a trail of colorful scales in their wake.

A peaceful atmosphere continued to linger throughout the area, it was really calming sensation. I shook my head out of my thoughts.

"Gotta find Melia." I mumbled to myself. The area was really open, aside from a tree blocking an area or two, so it shouldn't take long until I find, or-

"This is _my_ precious garden! I worked hard on it, and I'd appreciate if you'd ask for permission to enter it next time!"

"I-I'm sorry…"

…hear her. Me and my starter turned towards the screaming voice, which seemed to be a woman in a gardening outfit…and Melia, twiddling her fingers, her head held low, the two standing inside a small garden. I sighed to myself, and walked over towards the small field of flowers.

"Good!" The woman exclaimed, before turning back and walking away. "Excuse me." She pardoned, passing me by. Melia's head was tilted down, I couldn't tell whether in shame or embarrassment. Regardless, I walked over.

She seemed to notice the shadow of someone approaching, and raised her head, seemingly surprised at my appearance.

…

...

...

"Hey." I said after an awkward moment of silence.

"…What are you doing here?" She questioned, a hint of shame in her voice, her head turning. I raised the suitcase with my good hand.

"You forgot your briefcase."

"…Thanks." She choked out, taking the briefcase and bringing it to her side.

…

You know, I came all the way out here to talk to Melia, but I don't have the _slightest_ clue on how the hell to start. I silently glanced at Treecko, who shrugged in response.

"…You should get going. You've already done what you came here for, right?" Melia broke the silence, still avertingeye contact. I sighed. This was both going to be harder and more awkward than I thought.

"…Not…exactly. I wanted to check up on you, I guess." Did that sound creepy? Please don't sound tell me that sounded creepy…

"…Really?" Melia asked, surprised, before shaking her head. "I'm fine…How's your shoulder?" She quickly asked the last bit, still avoiding eye contact.

"Better. Should heal in a day or two." I shrugged…I winced in pain slightly. Damn it Aevis, stop doing that. Melia frowned a bit, sighing. Double damn it.

…

"Can you just skip to the part where you get mad at me?" Melia desired.

…

"What?"

"I know it's coming up. So just get it over with. "You're a freak.", "You're a weirdo.", "Leave me alone and never come back.", if you're one of the nicer ones, anyways." She said, tiredness present in her voice.

"…You're surprisingly okay people calling you that." I noted.

"Well, I have had a lot of opportunities to practice." She jested sadly. "So go on and get it over with."

"…It wasn't your fault." I said. Treecko seemed to nod in agreement on my shoulder.

…

"What?" She questioned, shocked at what she just heard, before shaking her head in disbelief. "…You're lying, aren't you? You are." She claimed. I shook my head.

"I don't blame you for what happened." I repeated, a bit sterner. Melia let out a soft smile…but then she started…laughing…?

"…Stop lying and just blame me already." She snarled, her head tilting even lower, her eyes shadowed by her hair…This was getting creepy.

"…Are you…okay?" I questioned. Melia waved it off.

"Everyone else always does, so go. Get it over with." She choked out, as if desperate, raising her head slightly, a clenched fist was trembling at her side. I glanced at Treecko, who seemed just as unnerved by the scene as I was.

"…I'm not going to blame you." I repeated, although admittedly I could feel my voice quivering a bit. She didn't reply, and seemed to be frozen in place. She stared at me, a shocked look on her face, like she was seeing a ghost. She held her head low again, and whispered.

"Why won't you blame me...?" She whispered to herself. She then dropped the suitcase onto the grass, and raised a shaking hand to her face.

"…It…wasn't your fault." I repeated again, although a feeling of uneasiness lingered in my words. She seemed to be in complete disbelief.

"Just blame me blame me blame me blame me…" She continued on and on, her hand harshly clenching her own face in agony. Her entire body was trembling at this point…I was genuinely creeped out by this. A gust of wind rustled some of the golden leaves and flowers, which seemed to only creep me out more.

I stood there in silence for a few seconds, mentally debating with myself what I should do.

...

I ended up cautiously walked towards her, ruffling the grass a bit.

…

"Are…you okay?"

My question was answered when a trembling fist smashed right into my face. I let out a pained grunt and tumbled back from the impact. A nauseous feeling overtook me for a moment, like my head became a bag of bleach for a moment…How do people brush off feelings like this?!

Treecko looked ready to attack, entering a hostile position, a scowl on his face. I made a quick gesture for him not to…Why? I don't know. I really don't know.

"WHY WON'T YOU BLAME ME?!" Melia screamed from the top of her lungs. She stomped her feet towards me, heavy steps rustling the grass. I slowly backtracked. She raised her two clenched fists and began throwing them at me.

"BLAME ME! BLAME ME! IT'S _ALWAYS_ MY DAMN FAULT!" Melia roared out, relentlessly barraging me with punches. I crossed my right arm over my chest, trying to minimize the hammering pain being inflicted on my torso.

"Calm down!" I exclaimed, still backtracking and defending myself.

"JUST! BLAME! ME! _BLAME_! _ME_!" She continued to riot out, hastening her barrage of fists. One of her clutched fists ended up colliding with…

 _Crack!_

A searing pain cracked through my left shoulder, as if a semi truck smashed into it.

I stopped trying to defend myself and released an agonizing scream into the sky, clenching my shoulder for dear life, which only seemed to make the cracking worse. The throbbing pain was too much too bear, it was like having your arm thrown against a concrete wall.

Treecko seemed to have enough of this, and released a barrage of attacks with **Razor Wind** towards the grass, making Melia jump back.

I clenched my shoulder tighter, and let my knees collapse to the ground. My shoulder was broken glass at this point, and my breathing was becoming lighter and lighter. I collapsed onto the ground, passing out for the second time that day.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

…

I woke up for the third time that day, lazily opening my eyes.

I groaned lightly, and-

"FUCK!" I cursed, attempting to push myself up with my left arm. The pain was still there, although it was much less painful than before. Still hurt like a bitch though. I took a quick look around. It looked like we were a bit deeper into the garden area. Flowers were blooming, and golden trees were still everywhere. A floral scent lingered through the air, a faint trace of pollen too.

" _Tree!"_

I turned my head to face my starter, a smile present on his face as he leapt towards my face.

"…What…happened…?" The Grass-type grunted, and silently gestured his head towards the side, where Melia…was crouched into a ball, leaning against a tree, her face deep in her knees and arms. Her briefcase was set aside. I raised my head a bit higher, seeing my Poison-type hovering over her.

" _Koffing!"_ He exclaimed. I gave him a slight wave and turned my head back towards the girl. Sad, muffled sobbing seemed to echo around the garden, and I could practically _taste_ the scent of sadness in the air.

…

…

…

I carefully slung my left hand over to my jacket's pocket, again, which admittedly stung a bit. I mentally debated with myself for a moment, before trudging towards her. I could wonder how Koffing got out of his Pokeball later. I eventually sat down beside her, leaning against the tree.

…

"…Heya." I greeted.

"…Mph." She sobbed out a makeshift "hey", slightly raising her head towards me. Her face was red, tears were rolling down her face, and strands seemed to be have been pulled out of her hair.

…

She quickly shoved her face back into her knees

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…" Melia apologized relentlessly, still crying her eyes out.

…

"…It's…okay." I sighed. To be honest, I started to question my sanity as a human being after I said that. She literally nearly broke my shoulder, and I still feel as though I should forgive her?

"…Why?" Melia weeped. "Why don't you blame me? Why aren't you mad at me? Why…aren't you like the others…?" She choked out, sniffing.

"I've hurt you twice now. I pushed you away. You were the one who had to pay the consequences for my actions. The consequence for just _being_ _near_ me…Why would you want me as a friend…? A friend who brings you pain everywhere she goes." She whimpered, her hands noticeably quivering on her knees.

"…Well, who wouldn't want a friend like you? You let a complete stranger into your room for a night, bought clothes for that stranger despite not even asking to, and was completely willing to tag along with him and showed him around the city, again, without even asking." I replied, before sighing to myself.

"I'm…going to be honest. I'm a lonely guy, so when I see you this lonely…I can't help but relate, in an odd, less…traumatizing way." I followed up, glancing at the Vivillons dancing from the trees above.

"…So I'm your friend because I'm the only one left…?" I shook my head.

"Well, who wouldn't want a friend as nice as you?"

"I can think of a couple dozen…" She whimpered, shifting away from me slightly. I sighed. I was _really_ terrible at this.

"Well, nobody's perfect?" I replied, although it was more of a question than a response.

"Nobody's expecting you to be flawless." I clarified. She released a tired sigh. At this point, I was feeling frustrated. How the hell was I supposed to comfort someone I barely knew? I glanced at Treecko and at Koffing, who seemed to be talking…about something. I'm guessing they were just trying to give us privacy or something. Guess I'm all alone here…

…

Or am I?

"Look…" I began, sighing heavily. "I've…only known you for a day, I'm basically a stranger to you, and, I have no general experience with friends. I really, _really_ , shouldn't be the person doing this…" I explained.

"So go call Venam, or Ren for that matter." I followed up, gesturing towards her purse containing her CyberNav. Melia seemed shocked at my suggestion, and turned her head away.

"…They're both probably busy…I'll just bother them." She responded, hugging her knees. I rolled my eyes a bit.

"Well, they're your friends. If they learned that you needed help, they'd rush on over in a breeze." I assured, patting her shoulder.

…

She sighed, and gave in, pulling out her CyberNav, and dialing the number.

"…Hey Venam." She choked out, a somewhat sad tone in her voice

"…I'm fine. Just feeling a little…despressed."

"…Just…dealing with…things."

"…Goldenwood Forest…Why?"

 _Beep!_

…

"Hello?" Melia said, before realizing that the CyberNav was cut off. She let out a depressed sigh.

"See? I just inconvenienced her." I decided to wait a few moments until I responded.

…

…

…

It didn't take too long for a certain purple-haired Gym Leader's voice was booming from the forest.

"MEEEELLLLLLLIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

After several seconds of listening to exhausted running and screaming, the Gym Leader eventually found us from within the garden, breathing heavily.

"Melia!" She exclaimed. I slowly stood up, supporting myself up with my rand arm, and began to walk out the garden.

"I'll give you two your privacy." I said. Venam gave me a look that said 'Thanks.' and 'You better not have done this you little piece of-' and etc. My Pokemon followed me out of the garden.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

I leaned against a nearby tree, facing towards the garden's entrance. It was actually looked a lot smaller on the outside than on the inside. Treecko was resting on my shoulder, and Koffing was hovering beside the Grass-type.

Venam and Melia were talking from within the garden. I wonder what they were telling to each other.

" _Tree?"_ Treecko pointed a hand towards my shoulder, head titled.

"…I mean, it doesn't feel terrible." I… _almost_ shrugged, before stopping myself. My shoulder still stung a bit, although I'm sure the pain would pass within a few days…hopefully. Treecko seemed to scowl a bit and look away…I don't think Melia's very high on his list for now.

"Why was Koffing out of his Pokeball?" I asked. Treecko let out several cries…which I couldn't understand. The Grass-type rolled its eyes and pointed towards the minimized Pokeball on my belt. He then went on to gently touch his hands together.

…

"You released him?" I guessed. He lightly nodded.

"Why?" Treecko then did…some sort of running in place action, and pointed towards the garden.

"…I don't understand you this time." I admitted. He facepalmed, and remained on my shoulder, arms crossed. I reached into my bag, and popped a Pecha Berry into my mouth. A bit too sweet in my opinion, but I still like it.

…

" _Vi?"_

"Hm?" I hummed. I raised my head, a Vivillon perched on my hat. I raised an eyebrow.

" _Vi Vi!"_ It waved its stubby hand in a friendly gesture…I know that a Vivillon's wings were different, but this one's design was a bit…unique.

The right wing was had a pattern of white and light gray, almost like a checkerboard, and the left was a pattern of black and dark grey…The difference was, was that the black wing had a bright scarlet design tearing through the left wing, as if it was a scar.

…

I slowly glanced at my _left_ shoulder, and turned back towards the _left_ wing.

…

Oh _ha ha_ , Life. Nice joke. Then again though, I passed out from a simple punch...I really need to exercise more...I sighed, and decided to throw it an Oran Berry, because why not. It smiled, and bit into the berry.

" _Vi! Villion!"_ It cried out. I smiled…and then I realized I was out of berries...I blame Koffing.

I raised my hand and lightly patted the Bug-type on its head. It let out a cry of joy and flew into the sky, dancing, and twirling from side to side. Its monochrome wings scattered scales as black as ink and as white as snow around the sky, blissfully falling down onto the grass.

It seemed to notice something in the distance, which I'm assuming was more Vivillon based on the _"Vivi!"_ -s I could hear, and bolted away, leaving another trail of scales.

…That was an interesting encounter.

…

"Yo." I raised my head to see Venam walking towards me, hands on her hips.

"How's Melia?" I asked. The Poison-girl let out a deep sigh.

"She's fine…mostly. She's still feeling depressed though. I can't really say I'm surprised to be honest. She's always had a few moments like this after all. Well, after the first friend anyways." She answered, before sighing again.

"To be honest, it's getting really frustrating." She admitted. "I mean, I really _do_ care for her…but it's just…you know…" Venam drawled out.

"Understandable." I replied. She sighed in relief.

"Cool. Although the reason I'm here is to hear your side of the story." She explained, to which I raised an eyebrow.

"My side?"

"Melia's still depressed, so I don't really want to ask her too much. All I know is a Pyroar bit into your shoulder, and Melia ran back here where you followed and tried to comfort her. Anything I'm missing?" She questioned.

"That's…the gist of it, I guess, unless you want specifics." I replied.

"What did you say to her when you found her?" She inquired, head tilted.

"I said…that it wasn't her fault. I didn't blame her, and well…she somewhat…lost it, after that." Venam raised an eyebrow at me for that.

"She…kept on telling herself "Blame me blame me" or something along those lines. She ended up…wailing, at me with her fists." I followed up. Venam seemed shocked to hear that.

"For real?" I nodded. "Wow…she's never done that before. Although I can somewhat see that happening…I mean, it's been a little over a year since she met Ren, and he's basically the last new friend she has…and you just broke one _hell_ of a streak." She shrugged. I continued.

"One of her punches…kinda…maybe…crashed into my already damaged shoulder and…made…me pass out." I admitted, somewhat embarrassingly. Venam snickered.

"Wow. You really can't take a hit, huh?" She teased with a cheeky grin.

"…Shut up." I grumbled. I could near a light snicker coming from Koffing too. Traitor.

…

"Thanks." Venam said out of nowhere. I tilted my head at that.

"For what?"

"For, you know, not freaking out when your shoulder got…uh…you know, bit. Melia told me about that part, at least." She explained, arms crossed. "And uh…you know when she…kinda made it worse, too."

"…It's okay…Everything happens for a reason after all." I replied, echoing Ms. Tesla's words. Venam nodded, and glanced back at the garden.

"…Stupid gym battles…" She grumbled, before turning back to me.

"Look, Melia's still depressed, and, unfortunately, I can't exactly stay here for long. I've already cut one gym battle short, and I can't risk cutting another one off or else Amanda or Jan's gonna tell me off. I have no doubt in my mind that I'm not going to be able to convince her to not stay here, so…" She explained.

"The fact that you're still standing there is…well, enough of a reason for me to trust you, really." She shrugged.

"If Melia's cool with you, you're cool with me, kay?" She smiled, playfully punching my-

"OW!"

"Sorry! Sorry…" She apologized, defensively raising up her hands. "Sorry…"

"…It's…okay." I said for the third time that day, and for the second time that day, I questioned my sanity. She let out a sigh of relief, and smiled.

"Seriously though, thanks for…being friends with Melia. I appreciate it."

"…No problem." I replied. She nodded, and pulled out her CyberNav.

"Let's change numbers, call me if Melia gets depressed again, or if anything goes wrong." Venam said. I nodded, and pulled out my own, quickly exchanging numbers. She nodded, and walked back into the garden.

"I'll go get her."

…

"Treecko? Koffing?" I got the attention of my two Pokemon.

"Would I still be considered a sane human being or no?" Treecko facepalmed, and Koffing seemed contemplative of his answer.

…

"Yo!" I raised my head again to see Venam…dragging Melia towards us, the blonde holding onto her briefcase. I let a soft smile appear on my face at that.

"Alright. You two. Stay safe. I need to go back to Gearen, Jan's going to have my ass if he finds out I cut battles short. See ya!" She waved goodbye, leaving me, Melia, and my Pokemon in a somewhat awkward moment of silence.

…

…

…

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…" Melia began repeating again, to which I sighed.

"…I'm sorry for hurting your shoulder, again." Melia apologized more specifically, rubbing her arm.

"Do you…still want to explore Goldenwood Forest with me?" She asked, melancholy in her voice.

You know, after getting my shoulder nearly broken, trying to comfort someone I barely know, and waiting for said person…

"Sure." I'd be insane to say no at this point.

"…Let's go then." She smiled, although it was obvious it was forced. I sighed, and followed her down the dirt-traced path. I should try to make her laugh or something, but then again, I'll probably just accidentally make it worse.

"Oh come _on_!"

We both turned our heads towards a random fisherman, swearing at his own Fishing Rod…Helping people make Melia happy, right? I don't know, but it's the best I can think of.

"Let's try to help him out." I suggested. Melia sighed.

"Sure." She agreed, although she answered with a depressed tone. I can see why Venam feels both bad for her, and is infuriated with her. We walked over towards the Fisherman, who turned his head towards us.

"Who are you two?"

…

Oh. Right. I'm supposed to engage in conversation since Melia probably won't.

…

"…Why are you so frustrated?" I asked, ignoring the question. The fisherman groaned.

"These damn baits aren't getting me anything. I spent a good bit on these too! If only I had some Gourmet Treats…heard they were the best at reeling Pokemon in." He complained. Koffing seemed to get excited at the word "Gourmet".

"…Well, I have some. Would you like one?" Melia asked, somewhat reluctantly, grabbing one from her briefcase.

"Really?! I mean I wouldn't want to impose…but okay!" The Fisherman beamed and grabbed the treat, and quickly began setting up his pole.

"Come on! Jerry needs a new Pokemon!" He exclaimed as he cast his line in, a _Toink!_ Echoing from the river.

…

"How are you feeling?" I asked the girl.

"…I'm fine, I guess." She shrugged. I sighed to myself. Guess that didn't work. I need to think of something else I guess.

"Oh boy!" The Fisherman hollered, the sound of his line being reeled in catching his attention.

"You caught something?" I inquired. The Fisherman nodded furiously as he pulled back his fishing rod, a loud thrashing booming from the river. The force of its trashing could be felt even from where we stood, its struggle even doused some of the nearby trees.

"It's a big one! That's for sure! Imagine the size of it!" He exclaimed excitedly, putting even more effort on his rod.

"And…" The Fisherman grinned, and fiercely pulled back his rod."GOT IT!"

 _Snap!_

…The line snapped, sending the Pokemon flying towards the sky, beginning to fall towards us. The Fisherman started cheering as loud as an Exploud and roared with excitement. Melia seemed to chuckle a bit at that.

"What is it?! What is it?! Oh please let it be a Relicanth! It's the rarest and most valuable Pokemon in this area!" He begged, getting down on his knees. Even Melia seemed interested in the Pokemon. Treecko and Koffing also seemed to be curious, the former seemingly more cautious, getting into a battle stance.

The Pokemon eventually landed on the ground and…and…

" _Karp!_ "

…

An awkward silence loomed over the three of us at the moment, and I could _feel_ the disappointment emanating from the fisherman, his head held low as he began sobbing.

"Why…?"

…

Melia, meanwhile burst out laughing from that.

Me and my Pokemon jumped from her outburst. She let out a roaring laughter, clutching her stomach and even falling down to the grass, nearly crying tears of laughter.

"OH MY GOD!" She cried out between laughs, rolling around the grass…That was…really over the top over a Magikarp…Although, it was really nice to see Melia enjoying herself again.

"…Thanks for the Treat." The Fisherman grumbled. He reared back his foot, and kicked the Magikarp back into the river.

"HOPE YOU _DROWN_ IN THE DEEP END!"

Melia laughed even louder at that, to the point where I was wondering if the Zubats in Johto could hear her. Treecko facepalmed at her, and I couldn't help but release a sigh of relief.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

The day…ended up being really fun, actually…mostly. Melia seemed to be mostly back to her own usual self though, after that laugh.

Melia released her Togepi, the Fairy-type being held on one arm by Melia. It seemed to get along well with Treecko. Not too sure about Koffing though, to be honest. Me and Melia also decided to exchange CyberNav numbers. She seemed a bit surprised when she saw that I had Venam's number though.

We spent most of the day just playing around with the wild Pokemon, mostly Vivillon. Apparently, being the Professor's daughter means that you have an infinite supply of Gourmet Treats…those things are expensive.

Seriously, ₱2,000 for just one?

Koffing may or may not have taken one…or two. Melia didn't seem to mind too much though. Treecko got a bit envious and took one for himself. Melia didn't seem to mind, again…I seriously hope that they wouldn't get addicted to the taste. I can barely buy one, let alone two.

"The Finneons look like they're having fun." Melia smiled, gazing at the fishes dancing within the body of water. She threw an _abundance_ of Pokemon food towards the water, to which many Finneon and Magikarp gathered around. Hapi released a squeal of joy from that, and I sweatdropped.

"You…have a lot of these things, don't you?" I questioned, Koffing somewhat salivating beside me.

"Like I said, being the Professor's daughter comes with benefits." She smiled, until a frown crept onto her face.

"…Although…it's sometimes the only reason some people deal with me…" She mumbled, her expression going depressed…Quick, Aevis! Think of a distraction!

"Look! It's a child stuck up in a tree!" I exclaimed hastily, pointing behind us.

…

"…Wait, what?" I realized, slowly turning to see a child, indeed, stuck up in a tree.

"Hi!" She greeted, waving a hand towards us.

…

"How did you get up there?" Melia questioned, eyebrow raised.

"I was running away from a Pokemon that came from the caves! It chased me all the way up here, and now I can't get down!" She exclaimed. Kinda figured that last part out when we can see you clinging onto the tree for dear life.

…

"…Koffing, please bring her down." I gestured. The Poison-type nodded, and hovered over to her, that goofy grin still on his face…I couldn't help but feel it was creepy at the thought of a little girl riding a Pokemon with a goofy grin …that sounded wrong.

The little girl held onto the Poison-type tightly, and hovered down to the ground.

"Thanks!" The girl thanked, landing onto the grass. She gave Koffing a little appreciation pet, which he liked, I think.

"Where are your parents?" Melia asked.

"I lost Granpa when we were attacked by the Pokemon and we ran away. I think he's at the station."

"Well, I do faintly remember an old person inside the station…" Melia remembered. I didn't. Was that a good thing that I was focused, or bad because I didn't notice him? I'm going with the former.

"Thank you!" The girl thanked again, running back towards the train station.

"Stay safe!" Melia waved goodbye to the girl. The forest/park wasn't filled with hostile wild Pokemon unless provoked, so I wasn't too worried about her.

"Oh right! That reminds me, we should get going to the cave. Dad wanted me to explore some odd inscriptions there." …Inscriptions? Like Ancient text and stuff?

"Sounds interesting." I replied with genuine-ity…is that a word? It is now. She beamed.

"Let's go!" She grabbed my wrist and-

"OW!"

"Sorry!"

WHEN WILL PEOPLE REMEMBER I HAVE TWO ARMS?!

…

After that, we just walked towards the cave at our own leisure.

When we were about to cross the wooden bridge though, a Vivillon stopped us, landing before us in a dramatic manner…It had the same design as the last one I saw.

Its wings shined scarlet, black and white, and it began to dance, twirling, spinning, and flying around the bridge, black and white particles circling around its body, glimmering in starlight.

"Wow…So that's a Vivillon's **Quiver Dance**." Melia noted, Hapi chirping in joy. I nodded. It was beautiful performance, although a part of me couldn't help but think it was kind of hungry for attention, considering the moment I had with species earlier today.

" _Vivi~!"_ It sang…I think. It twirled once again, and bowed, finishing its performance. Melia nodded, and clapped.

"Bravo!" She cheered. I would've clapped but…you know. I nodded in thanks to the Pokemon, and we continued onwards, passing by the-

" _Vi!"_ It stopped us in our tracks, exasperatedly wailing its short limbs. I raised an eyebrow, and turned towards Melia, who shrugged.

"Uh…What do you need…?" Melia asked. Hapi gave a cry of confusion.

The Vivillon then went onto do…several positions, is the best term for it. It spread its wings, did a little twirl, and a few other things. I'm guessing it was trying to convey a message…although it looked kinda childish doing it…and by that I mean adorable.

" _Vi-vilion!"_ It exclaimed, stretching its limbs and finishing…whatever that was.

I glanced at Melia again, who seemed just as confused as I was. I turned to Treecko, who I hoped would act out a translation. He pointed towards me messenger bag. Confused, I opened it, and the Grass-type reached in, pulling out…

A…Pokeball?

…

"…It wants me to catch it?" I guessed, to which the Vivillon let out a joyous cry, doing a little twirl into the sky.

"…Is this the same Vivillon?" I questioned. Treecko nodded. I silently turned towards Melia for an opinion.

"What do you think?" She shrugged, Hapi giving a confused cry.

"Well, I don't see why not. It's mot a Normal-type, and you're going to need all the Pokemon you need against Venam after all. All Gym Leaders use a full party of 6 Pokemon, you know."

…

"Come again?"

"Yes. I'm surprised you didn't know that."

…

I silently turned back towards the Vivillon, who seemed to be eagerly waiting for an answer.

"…Why do you think it wants to get captured?" I asked. Melia shrugged.

"Who knows? It could be bored living in the forest, or maybe it wants to become stronger."

"…What do you guys think?" I asked my two Pokemon. Treecko glanced, before shrugging, as if saying "Up to you". Koffing seemed neutral, although he had his eyes narrowed. I'm guessing it was worried about sharing his food with another member or something.

…

I grabbed the Pokeball in Treecko's hands, and raised it towards Vivillon.

"…Do you _really_ want to get-" I didn't get to finish as Vivillon bolted towards the ball and tapped it, absorbing the Pokemon into the capsule ball.

 _ ***Shake*...*Ding!***_

…

"That was…surprising." I noted. "And…only one shake?"

"It must've really wanted to get caught." Melia shrugged. I released the Bug-type onto the bridge, and it immediately flew into the sky and began dancing in joy, a trail of scales scattered in its wake.

" _Vivi! Vivi-lioon~!"_ It "sang" again, a high pitched voice echoing through the air, which seemed to impress both of my Pokemon.

"…It likes singing and dancing, a lot apparently." I noted, and pulled out my Pokedex.

 _ **Vivillon:**_ _ **The Scale Pokémon**_

 _ **The patterns on this Pokémon's wings depend on the climate and topography of its habitat. It scatters colorful scales.**_

 _ **Typing:**_ _ **Bug-Flying**_

 _ **Moveset:**_ _ **Quiver Dance, Struggle Bug, Gust, Stun Spore**_

 _ **Abilty:**_ _ **Compound Eyes: Increases bearer's accuracy.**_

 _ **Gender:**_ _ **Female**_

I nodded to myself, and closed the dex. I sighed to myself. I really needed to start thinking on what Pokemon I'm going to intentionally hunt and catch for. Although I really hope they were going to be as willing as Vivillon to work with me though.

The Bug-type eventually stopped dancing and…perched itself on my hat, giggling as it did so. Thankfully, it wasn't heavy, at all, being a flying Bug type.

"Aw. I think she likes staying on your cap." Melia giggled. Well, I have three Pokemon now, all I need is three more…or maybe I could try my luck and win with only three…nah.

"Well, at least people will know which arm is which." I said, noting the wing's designs, to which Melia giggled.

"…Hey could you give Vivillon a treat?" I requested, somewhat reluctantly. Melia beamed, and quickly grabbed one from her briefcase.

"Sure! No problem!" She passed a Gourmet Treat to Vivillon, who happily munched on it, and then her eyes…sparkled, awed at the flavor.

…

"Let's…move on." I requested, sweatdropping a bit. Melia giggled, and we continued onwards.

"Hm?" Meilia hummed, turning her head to the side. "Aev, look at that." I turned my head and saw…a Drifblim and…a…um…

…Damn it, I forgot what it was called. I pulled out my Pokedex, and scanned the Pokemon across the small river stream.

 _ **Mimikyu:**_ _ **Disguise Pokémon**_

 _ **Although it's a quiet, lonely Pokémon, if you try to look at what's under its rag, it will become agitated and resist violently.**_

 _ **Typing:**_ _ **Ghost-Fairy**_

 _ **Moveset**_ **:** _ **?**_

 _ **Ability:**_ _ **Disguise: Allows the Pokemon to take a single blow before taking damage.**_

 _ **Gender: ?**_

…

I couldn't help but glance at Melia when I read that Pokedex entry.

"Let's go check them out!" Melia insisted, heading towards them. I followed her shortly after.

"Hello!" Melia waved towards the Drifblim on our side, which didn't seem to pay attention to her. Vivillon tilted its head at the Ghost-type.

"Um…"Melia drawled. The Drifblim seemed to be too focused in a conversation with the Mimikyu on the other side of the stream. I turned towards Treecko, who merely shrugged.

" _Drif!_ " The Ghost-Flying type cried out, before floating over towards the other side, and grabbed the Mimikyu. I mentally noted that it grabbed it from the bottom, sliding its…"arms" under it. It lifted the Mimikyu over the stream, and brought it back to our side.

"O…kay…" Melia drawled, shrugging.

"Ah, good boy, Drifblim." We turned back, a woman walking towards us. Her hair was purple and short, diverging at her shoulders. She was clothed in a lavender dress, reaching until her feet. She looked like she just came from a masquerade party, to be honest.

"It seems as though you've finally caught that naughty Mimikyu." The woman noted, flapping a hand-held fan. Melia widened her eyes.

"Y-You're…" She stuttered, raising a finger. "You're Goldenleaf Town's Gym leader! Narcissa!"

...I've been in Aevium for two days and I've apparently met seen Gym Leaders. Great.

"Hmm? Seems as though you know of me. What of it?" Narcissa inquired, before shaking her head. "Well, I suppose that doesn't matter now. " She walked towards the Mimikyu, its…Puppet head drooping.

"Well, look at you now. Seems as though you've bothered two trainers. Deepest apologies." She bowed her head lightly. Melia frantically shook her head.

"N-no! It was no trouble at all! Right Aev?" Wait what?

"Y-yeah. N-no bother." I stuttered out as well. I mean, she already looked intimidating, and Melia's been a trainer for a lot longer than I have, so yeah…Then again it's probably just me.

"Hm? Seems as though you two have quite some patience then…or perhaps you're lying…?" Narcissa raised an eyebrow, before shaking her head again.

"Well, thank you regardless. Patience is one thing my people need…" She mumbled the last part, before walking away, her two Ghost-types following her towards the East Gate.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

After the two interruptions, we finally arrived in Goldenwood Cave. It didn't really have any outlandish features, it was just your average cave. Then again though, I've only seen them in books and videos, so maybe there is something I'm missing.

"Well, nothing out of the ordinary here." Or not.

"A lot of newer trainers come here to train against other new trainers, so this should be good practice for you." Melia explained. I nodded, and we began to walk in. Vivillon seemed to be curious about the cave, darting its eyes left and right. Treecko remained way, and Koffing was just hovering beside me. To be honest, that grin is basically a poker face for him. I can't tell what he's thinking half the time.

"Hey!"

We turned our heads towards a duo of trainers, a youngster in an orange cap and another trainer with white hair.

"Let's battle!" They chorused, stretching out their Pokeballs. I glanced at Melia.

"So, double battle?" She asked, sending Hapi to the ground. A double battle. Well, my first one's going to be with Melia, so might as well win it.

"Vivillon?" The Bug-Type understood immediately, and flew from my head, joining the Fairy-type. Treecko looked a little irked at that.

"You know, maybe you should nickname your Pokemon, I think it would give you a more personal connection to them." Melia suggested. I raised an eyebrow.

"It's not like I'm the only one who doesn't nickname their Pokemon." I retorted.

"Sandro!" The Youngster sent out a an Alolan form Ratata.

"Chibble!" The other sent out a Rockruff.

…

I swear Melia had a shit-eating grin.

"Shut up. It's not like Venam or Ren do anyways…" I grumbled. They weren't really creative names either.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

"You know, it probably wasn't the best idea to send a Bug-Flying-type against a Rock-type."

"...Shut up."

Vivillon got knocked out quickly...Luckily, it was after it damaged Rattata with **Struggle Bug**.

Although…this makes it my third Pokemon in a row to get knocked out in their first battle.

" _Vi…_ " The Bug-type pouted, crossing its stubby arms. Melia was kind enough to heal her back up using potions. Really made me wonder how many things were inside that briefcase though. It seemed to have everything, really.

Several double battles later, where I was mostly useful in, we ended up deeper in the cave. Melia was kind enough to heal my Pokemon after every battle too, again. We eventually arrived to a more open area of the cave, a stream of water flowing to the side, sharp stalagmites and stalactites scatters around the area.

"Greetings, trainers."

We were stopped by a woman, sat down on a rock, legs crossed and her hands raised.

"I am the Master of Affinity, Mars, the first member of the Culvier Clan." A woman with long smooth white hair said before us, a red ring circled around her head. A Leavanny was beside her, bowing its head a bit.

"Um…Hi?" Melia greeted awkwardly. I just gave a slight wave with my hand. Mars nodded, and gazed around the open cave, the sound of dripping water and echoed voices coming from behind us.

"The beauty of nature is truly a sight that none other can compare to, wouldn't you agree?" She smiled, turning towards us.

"It's certainly pretty." Melia noted. I gave a nod. The woman raised a finger to her chin, and glanced towards our Pokemon, before sighing.

"Hm…It seems as though you two are not yet ready to take me on. That is fine. I look forward to when an opponent can stand before me." She noted, Leavanny nodding in agreement. Treecko and Vivillon seemed to take a bit offense to that.

" _Treecko, Tree!"_ My starter exclaimed, leaping down to the ground. Mars raised an eyebrow.

"It seems as though your starter is rather eager to do battle." She observed, standing up from the rock. To be honest, I wasn't too confident. Leavanny had the Type-advantage, and was fully evolved. Vivillon would have a better advantage-

" _Treecko Tree!"_ The Grass-type exclaimed to me. I sighed.

"…Alright." Well, maybe we could win, Leavanny was times 4 weak to **Acrobatics** , so who knows? Treecko was happy to hear this, and turned back towards the Leavanny. Vivillon crossed its stubby arms and puffed its cheeks. Koffing just seemed to have his usual grin.

"Good luck Treecko!" Melia cheered, Togepi chirping afterwards.

"Very well. Leavanny?" Mars gestured for the Leavanny to take its position in front of her.

"Now then…Let's begin." Mars said, extending a finger.

"Leavanny, **X-Scissor**."

" _Leava!"_

 _Slash!_

Leavanny seemed to turn into a blur as it bolted towards Treecko, its arm-blades crossed. It swiftly jabbed at the Grass-type, a clear-cutting noise echoed from the strike. The Grass-type was instantly blasted back, penetrating itself into a nearby rock formation, flying dust towards our direction. A booming crash echoed through the cave, pebbles and small rocks crumbling from the ceiling.

"Treecko!" I cried out. Koffing and Vivillon seemed shocked at Leavanny's power, the latter seemingly shaking a bit on my hat. Once the dust revealed there was Treecko…fainted. In one, single blow.

…

"…Well, I suppose you can't say I didn't warn you." Mars said, Leavanny landing proper in front of her. Melia just stared in awe at the woman, and so did I. Treecko was just a literal starter, sure, but it was still shocking to find him knocked out in one blow.

"That is one powerful Leavanny…" I grumbled. Mars seemed to laugh a bit at this.

"Your Treecko must be patient, after all, every Spring has had its Falls and Winters." She advised, her Leavanny nodding in agreement. I nodded, but was kinda annoyed on the metaphors. It was easy to understand, I think, but seemed like a hassle to use them. I pulled out Treecko's Pokeball, and returned him from a short distance.

"You did well, Leavanny." Mars pet Leavanny on its head. The Bug-Grass type bowed lightly to its trainer in respect.

"Aev." Melia got my attention. "The end of the cave should be just a bit further. Let's heal Treecko later." I felt a bit irked at knowing Treecko had to be injured for a while, but agreed regardless.

"I look forward to the day me and my Leavanny can do battle with you as equals." Mars bowed towards us, Leavanny mimicking its trainer. I gave a light bow myself in response.

…

We eventually reached the deepest part of the cave. On the rough and slightly jagged cave wall was some sort of...symbols, lined up together.

"Here we are!" Melia exclaimed. "Hm…Guess I should take some pictures first." She followed up. I glanced at the text. It looked like…Brail, I think. There was also a line of Unown text too, although those always got confusing at times…

"Hm…Well, there's really nothing out of the ordinary for this text." Melia shrugged. "I wonder why dad wanted me to see them." She leaned a hand towards the wall…which broke, causing her to trip.

"Ow!" Melia grunted as she fell flat onto the rocks. I winced a bit for her, and so did Vivillon.

"Huh…?" She drawled out, getting back up. The once placed inscriptions were now replaced…by a cave.

…

"…That seemed way too easy." I noted, my eyes narrowing. Melia nodded in agreement, but went through the cave anyways.

"Still, it seems like an amazing discovery! I don't think anyone's been in this area before." She drawled, walking deeper into the cave. I sighed, and followed her in. After passing through a small tunnel, we found ourselves…

" _Vi-Vi!"_ Vivillon cried out in joy at the sight of more trees. We were currently standing on an elevated formation, letting us gaze over the many, many trees of the forest. Vivillons were playing in the distance, and my own looked like she wanted to join them.

"Let's go!" Melia said, walking down a set of stairs…I'm no genius, but I'm pretty sure Pokemon wouldn't or _couldn't_ make stairs…right?

"Come on!" I shook my head, and began heading down the set of stairs…I felt envious of Koffing and Vivillon at the moment. Both of them could fly, and I had to walk down so, many, stairs. It didn't help that my shoulder stung every time I went too fast.

Me and Melia eventually reached the bottom of the stairs. I'll admit, I was lightly panting by the time we got down them.

We walked down the somewhat narrow path. Golden trees surrounding me, the scent of flowers blooming and the sound of Vivillons playing gave the area that sense of comfort, and the narrow path just seemed enhanced those features more.

"Wow…!" Melia gasped. I eventually caught up to her to see what she was fussing over…It was a stone statue…of Arceus.

…

"…What did we just stumble on?" I questioned, staring at the statue. Koffing and Vivillon also seemed to be staring at the statue in awe.

"Hey!" The three of us turned our heads towards the girl. Melia had apparently…been able to pack a large picnic blanket within her small suitcase. Hapi chirped in joy, waddling its feet on the blanket.

…

"How did that even fit in there…?" I questioned, before shaking the thought off.

"Let's have a picnic!" Melia exclaimed, grabbing more Pokemon and human food from her briefcase…Again, it's like everything's in there.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

Melia healed up Treecko quickly, and all of our Pokemon were out, happily munching on some Pokemon food, those…brown marshmallows. I really don't know the technical term for them. I'll need to ask Melia later about that.

Treecko seemed a bit peeved that he was knocked out in a single blow, and he spent most of his time in the trees, munching on his snacks. Vivillon joined him, although that was mostly because she liked flying freely with the other Vivillons. Koffing was scarfing down on all the food he can, which made me sweatdrop a bit…then again though, he probably ate sludge his entire life.

Hapi was just waddling around the blanket, waving its stubby arms around. Melia's Eevee was playing with the Fairy-type, dancing along with it. Stufful was scarfing down food alongside Koffing. The two seemed to get along well. Buneary seemed to be…watching Treecko…weird.

"Today's been really fun, Aev." Melia said all of a sudden, taking a bite into her sandwich. I nodded. Considering this was literally my second day in a completely new region…it was better than I expected. A part of me considered just staying in Gearen with Melia and the others, like Ren, unless he was a Gym Leader too or, something…

Nah. My Pokemon wouldn't want that, I think...Do they?

We continued to eat in peace, the sound of my Vivillon and the other Vivillons flying lingered through the air.

…

"Thanks." Melia said. I tilted my head.

"For what?"

"For…well, today, I suppose. It's…been a long time since I've had a new friend. Ren showed up in Gearen a little over a year ago and…well, I won't bore you with details." She said, taking a sip from her canister. Eevee jumped onto the girl's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek.

"But…today I feel like I've made another lifetime friend…So, thanks. For…being my friend, Aev." She smiled, the most genuine I've seen her do so as she pet the Pokemon. There was just a sense of…pure relief in it. Like releasing a chain tied to a ball.

…

"Friends care about each other, and their problems are their friend's problems too." I responded humbly, taking in another bite of my berry. We ate in silence for a while, the sound of wind rustling the trees' leaves filling the area.

…

"…I'm sorry if this is sensitive but…" Melia began, shaking a bit.

"What's your story?" I raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"You're a newcomer to Aevium, right? But…you came here, alone. You didn't even have clothes or a place to stay…so why and how did you get here?" She questioned more specifically.

…

I…really didn't know how to respond. Should I tell her the truth? I mean it wouldn't change anything, but I'd probably sound really petty. On the other hand, I basically know of her story, kinda, so she has the right to know of mine. Then again though, it's just a one thing, compared to Melia's years of being shunned…

And…I really don't want to talk about that ship wreck…It just made me feel…horrified, really. I felt my hand shaking as I mentally debated with myself, crushing the sandwich in my hand.

"I-It's okay if you don't want to!" Melia quickly followed up.

"It's just that…Ren's been my friend for over a year, and he's had a…bad past. I don't want to tell you anything without his consent, but I just want to know if you need someone to talk to. It seemed to have certainly helped Ren." She explained.

Her reasoning made sense, I guess. But..I just really don't want to talk about this. I didn't want to be pitied. I'm just another random trainer who got roped up into this. I'm glad I managed to make Melia a bit happier and all, but…She really shouldn't care much about my problems. My thought process was illogical, and hypocritical, but…

Melia continued to stare at me, patiently waiting for an answer. I glanced back, and noticed Treecko jumped down from his tree, also seemingly eager to hear my story.

Damn it. Aevis, just let-go of your nonexistent pride/mindset and answer the question. It's probably just two sentences anyways.

…

Un/fortunately, an explosive blast suddenly roared from the within forest, shaking the ground we sat on and scaring the Vivillon away and other Pokemon away, other than our own…Definitely unfortunately.

"What was that?!" Melia exclaimed, standing up and returning her Pokemon. I stood back up, left hand still slung inside my pocket. Treecko leapt to my shoulder, and Vivillon perched herself on my cap. Koffing…continued scarfing down his food.

"Come on Koffing." I rolled my eyes a bit. The Poison-type seemed to groan, and hovered to head-level. I'm guessing living in the sewers doesn't make you too concerned with nature life.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

 **And…That's Chapter five, I guess.  
**

…

 **Hey, random question real quick-** **: How did you expect me to deal with Melia? A regular encounter, and everything is all right? Melia cries and Aevis comforts it perfectly fine like he's known her forever? If you did expect that, I'm not sure whether or not what I did was better.**

" **Melia would never do that! It makes no sense!"**

 **Well, I don't expect it to, actually. Human emotions don't always make sense. Like, when a loved one dies, you instantly begin pointing blame. Whether it's at yourself, or someone else. Whether or not it makes sense for you to do that doesn't really register with you, because you're kinda blinded by that feeling of guilt.**

 **In this case, Melia's reaction is the exact opposite circumstance: After so many people leaving her, when someone finally stays after experiencing why the others left…It's like death, but the opposite; but the reactions remain the same, except she directly blames herself. And since it's somewhat of an out-of-nowhere thing for her...yeah.  
**

" **Why would she blame herself for a good thing?!" Well, it's hard to think of another reaction, to be honest. Then again though, I haven't really directly experienced something like this, so I can't say much in that regard. This is literally my first time trying to create character empathy and stuff.  
**

 **I added in Venam, because, realistically, you can't really comfort someone you've known for a day. I mean, you can, but it's likely you probably wouldn't change too much, compared to a childhood friend.**

 **And yes, I'm well aware that a majority of the Pokemon Rejuvenation players dislike/hate/wanttoseeherburninthedepthsofhellbecauseshe'ssogoddamnperfectlikealittleMeliaSue/She'sbasicallythemaincharactersowhydoweexistandwhydoessheactlikesuchabitchafterwardsandstealsthespotlighteverytime Melia, and I am actually a part of that group.  
**

 **I probably failed at trying to get Melia to be a bit of a better character, but eh, I tried.**

 **I'm going to do something with Ren, Venam, and Aelita too. I guess also Saki, Amber, Adam, Valarie, Amber, maybe Neved, Amber, Madelis, Amber, Geara, and Amber. I'm probably going to fail, but I might as well try.  
**

 **Still, sorry if I sucked at that part.**

 **Also, what do you guys think of Vivillon?**

…

 **And yes, I know I complain about the story and plot a lot, but don't get me wrong, I love the game. You can see how much effort they put into the gameplay, graphics, music, etc…It's just that I'm not a complete fan or the plot and story.**

 **Seriously, we don't know why Melia's so important, what Team Xen wants, or why the game seems to have so many plots that take too long to tangle up. It's been 10 versions and over half the badges and we still don't know why Crescent seems to Deus Ex Machina everything.**

" **Why are you writing a fanfic about it then?"**

 **Because I'm retarded.**

 **Also because I was inspired to make it when I read "Commander's Rejuvenation Written Run" and "Pokemon Rejuvenation: A Terribly Titled Nuzlocke". Props to both of them for both hilarious and legitimate criticism and commentary. It really made me rethink a lot about the game.**

 **Also, I'm not saying the story is terrible and that I can do better. God no, I'd probably make it worse lol. I'm just trying things out and see where they go.**

…

 **Review!**

…

 **WanderingPenguin16** **: Again, you're the only review…You have my deepest thanks. Seriously. I really like writing this story, but I keep feeling paranoid that the last chapter I posted was literally the worst thing to be written…that's an exaggeration, because I at least have enough self-esteem to say that I've seen some bad fics. I'm not trying to pressure you into reviewing, just wanted to say thank you, so much.  
**

 **Also…I'm 14 and I'm bored…I don't see how this is something Pokemon fanfics need more. I literally have no experience in writing or storytelling, unless you count my previous fanfics, which aren't even Pokemon related.**

 **The Pokemon community is a pretty nice place, I think. I mean, I've heard of trolls and stuff, although I've also heard them legitimately giving off criticism, albeit in a bit of a condescending way according to what I've heard. I can't say much about the community, really, although I'm sure they make good fanfic.  
**

 **If a random 14 year old can make something good like you say, I'm pretty sure the community can do that too. Two fics I've read that are absolutely** _ **amazing**_ **are** **Pedestal** **and** **I am Lucario** **. The latter focuses more on Pokemon, and it does it really well. Admittedly, the former was made by a College student, and the latter hasn't updates in a long time…but eh.**

 **Gary/Mary Sues, to me, aren't only about being flawless, they're also about somehow getting Deus Ex Machinas every single damn time.**

 _ **COUGH**_

 **ALPHA METRONOME AND RANDOM ABILITY THAT SOMEHOW STOPPED MADAME X DESPITE HER CLAIMING SHE'S STRONGER THAN THE POKEMON GOD OF FUCKING DEATH WHICH IS PRETTY STUPID IN ITSELF I MEAN WHY ARE THERE MULTIPLE LEGENDARIES I GET INFANT VOLCANION BUT WHY GIRATINNA AND YVELTAL UNLESS HOOPA WAS INVOLVED IN THE CATASTROPHE EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT BUT DOESN'T SAY-WAIT THAT WOULD ACTUALLY EXPLAIN NIHILEGO IN WHERE LOVE LIES.**

 _ **COUGH**_

…

 **To be honest, I mainly wanted to write about this for the characters, especially the Pokemon. Really, they're the only ones I can really play around with.**

 **Tesla deserves to get more screentime. She really does.**

 **I can't really change anything about the story. I mean, I really,** _ **really**_ **want to. But because of how** _ **vague**_ **everything is, I wouldn't even know how to start. It's not really a sense of mystery anymore, just being plain annoying.**

 **This doesn't mean I'm going to copy and paste events though. If I can try and avoid Deus Ex Machinas without altering the story too much, I will.**

 **Sorry, I'm rambling again.**

…

 **And that's it.**

 **Feel free to leave your criticism, tips, ideas, suggestions, Omake ideas or just thoughts on the story so far in the reviews!**

 **Seriously I could use some criticism. I feel like this chapter sucked, so I could use some.  
**

 **Thank you for reading, and have a great day.**

 **EDIT: Fixed the Pokemon spellings. Thanks WanderingPenguin!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Rejuvenation**

 **I don't own Pokemon or Pokemon Rejuvenation. If I did, they would suck. A lot.**

 **It would also be updated ridiculously inconsistently.**

…

The instant we exited the cave, we heard the dull sounds of engines running. I turned my head to see a plethora of trucks storm from the east gate, blocking the path…With a…familiar design.

I quickly shook the thoughts off my head and gazed at the fog hanging in the sky; the sun was barely shining through and the taste of soot was evident in the air.

" _VI-VI!_ " Vivillon suddenly yelped, glancing at her former home. She attempted to blow away the mist with **Gust** , but to no avail. I couldn't help but frown at her depsair.

"What the heck?!" A youngster nearby exclaimed in a shrill voice, standing alongside a few other trainers.

"What's going on?!" I turned my head as another trainer and his Rockruff shook their heads, surveying the area.

"What happened?!" Melia shrieked next, rushing down the stairs and looking around the area; I followed suit, trying not to let my shaking legs or my broken shoulder make me tumble.

"Wait!" One of the male trainers exclaimed, before pointing a finger towards Melia with a scowl. "You're Melia, aren't you?! You're the one who put my sister in the hospital!" Melia choked.

…Is it really the time for this?!

"W-What?!" She stammered, her voice going shrill for a moment.

"Wait, you're Melia?!" Another trainer exclaimed, clenching a fist in front of her. "You were why I got attacked by that Ursaring, weren't you?!"

"I-!" Melia attempted to object, but found no words to do so.

"Hey! Are you responsible for this too?!" The trainer with the Rockruff questioned, gesturing towards the forest mist. Melia's body trembled, her eyes shadowed by her hair; it was as though as if one more word and she would shatter like glass. I breathed I deeply, and turned towardsthe trainers.

"Y…" I stumbled over my own words, but managed to speak with a decent voice." You can all settle this _later_." I said, despite how foreign it felt to me. The first two trainers made a sound of frustration, but kept quiet. I let out a sigh of relief. I briefly glanced at Melia, who didn't seem too eager to talk anytime soon. Just great.

"HELP!"

We all turned our head towards an old woman, running towards us, her purse flying through the air.

"Some hooligans kidnapped my beloved Furfrou! Red Xs over black! Please, help me!" She beseeched, her legs shaky. At the description, a brief memory quickly flashed through my mind.

" _ **Arbok,**_ _ **Crunch!**_ _ **"**_

Again, I shook my head; it was just a coincidence. Just a coincidence.

Just. A. Coinci-

"HEY!"

We turned our heads towards…

…

No.

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no.

Team Xen was not standing right in front of me.

Team Xen was not standing right in front of me.

…

For a second, I felt as though my mind was paralyzed, locked in place. And then, in an instant, a tremor, an indescribable feeling of terror burst through my veins. My heartbeat thumped against my chest, as if a boxer and his punching bag.

" _Tree?_ " I heard Treecko on my shoulder, my only response was hasty, unstable breathing that would likely make me pass out eventually. Surprisingly, I managed to stay conscience enough to hear their conversation.

"So this is where the rest of you have been…" The frontmost of the two grunts noted, crossing his arms. Melia let out a light gasp, raising both of her hands to her face.

"Is…A-Are you Team Xen?!" She shrieked, her legs trembling. The grunt took notice of the girl, before briefly squinting his eyes.

"Hey…blonde hair, gray eyes…" He mumbled. He turned towards his colleagues, mulling over something, before speaking again.

"Alright then, you," He pointed a gloved hand towards Melia, who stepped back in response. "Come with us, and there won't be any trouble."

What?

"What?" Melia echoed my thoughts, clutching her hand even tighter on her chest. "Wh-why?!"

"Well, we came to this forest for one reason, and that was to kidnap you."

" _ **We came to this ship for one purpose, and that's your apprehension."**_

For some reason, everything became a blur as that memory flashed.

My mind tuned out their conversation as memories of the ship flooded back into me, from the rain on my back to the screams of the people; they were all so vivid, as if they were happening right in front of me.

The face of the captain when I arrived.

The sound of a Team Xen member commanding her Arbok.

And the face of the woman who I called mom, who I failed.

The woman who I left on that ship, all alone.

All I could do in that instance was lifelessly stare towards the grass with shaking eyes, and resist the increasing urge to throttle my throat and scream.

…

"H-Hey!"

When I came back to reality, Melia was being shoved by one of the trainers.

"You can take her!" She yelled seemingly a second thought, evoking a teary look in Melia; all I did was stand there and watch like an idiot, like the coward I knew I was.

"Hey!" The trainer with the Rockruff suddenly yelled. "She might be a problem, but I won't let you take anyone away from here!" I internally let out a sigh of relief; at least someone wasn't as cowardly as I was.

"Rockruff! **Rock Blast!** " He ordered as the Rock-type formed a large boulder over its head, before promptly hurling it towards the grunts; some of the trainers let out a light gasp, and I couldn't help but be relieved, even if this was violence against people using Pokem-

"Swampert, **Mud Shot!** "

…What?!

A towering blue titan suddenly emerged from the Team Xen grunts' Pokeball, creating a magnitude at it landed. It wasted no time as it opened its mouth and released a muddy sphere, launching at tremendous force towards the boulder, and subsequently, the Rockruff itself, driving the Rock-type all the way towards the rocky walls; a large dust cloud followed, engulfing the area with dirt and pebbles.

At the sudden display of power, I couldn't help but release a shrill scream, my body trembling with even greater force now. My eyes were as wide as dinner plates, my breathing shallow and slow.

I shakily turned towards Melia, who seemed equally terrified at the display, her eyes unable to leave the scene. I turned towards my Pokemon; Koffing's mouth was agape, Vivillon seemed to quiver, and Treecko's eyes were open wide.

"What the?!" The Rockruff's trainer choked, having fallen to his rear by the mere force around the blast.

"Now, you see what you made me do?" The grunt said almost sarcastically, before raising a gloved hand once more. "Hand her over, or pay the price." He repeated, his Swamper threateningly glaring behind him. My heart beat loudly against my chest, as if a boxer and its punching bag.

What…do I do…?

How…how…what?

…

One of the trainers from earlier shoved Melia towards the grunts again.

"H-Hey!" She yelled, tears almost forming in her eyes; for the second time, I couldn't do anything as I stood as nothing more as a silent coward. The grunt grabbed her by the arm with a firm grip, and I did nothing but watch pathetically, my limbs seemingly unresponsive.

"Let-Let go!" Melia squealed, but the grunt only responded with a light chuckle and a smile. The professor's daughter helplessly wiggled against the man. Meanwhile, I stood by the sidelines like an Arceus-damned coward, my body paralyzed in fear. I grit my teeth and stared helplessly at the confrontation in front of me.

"LET ME GO!"

A firm hand suddenly went across the girl's face, silencing her.

"Shut up-"

The Team Xen member's head suddenly flew back, tumbling back from the impact of a blow. He clutched his nose in pain, staring with a hardened glare.

"What the fuck?!" He cursed, glaring towards…me.

I blinked, and I slowly realized that it was my fist that did that.

...

Oh.

"What are you doing?!" A trainer from the back admonished whilst I cluelessly stared at my fist. I could hear Treecko making a sound of disbelief from my shoulder.

"You're gonna pay for that! Swampert, attack!"

FUCK.

Swampert let out a ferocious roar into the forest, loud enough that it made me land on my rear, breaking whatever sort of composure I had left and spiking pain through my shoulder. I let out a shrill shriek for that.

" _Treeko!_ " I heard my Starter cry from my shoulder. I blinked a few times, before I finally settled back into the reality of the situation:

What I just did was absolutely fucking stupid.

"A-Aevis-!" Melia screamed into my ear, but didn't seem to find the words to continue that line of thought. I could only stare as my legs were so shaky that I couldn't stand.

Treecko defiantly jumped in front of me, giving the Swampert his usual cool, clam stare even if he was tens of times behind. Koffing made a noise of annoyance, but briefly followed suit alongside Vivillon. I could only stare in fear of the Swampert and admiration of my Pokemon.

"Swampert, **Hydro Pump!** "

I gulped, bracing myself for what was about to be-

"Leavanny, **Leaf Blade!** "

 _Shink!_

…

What?

When I opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of a woman standing in front of me, her long, white hair flowing over my head. When I tilted my head, I saw a Leavanny standing gracefully, and just a bit beyond that, was a Swampert…miserably crashed into a tree, swirls over its eyes. My Pokemon seemed to be equally surprised.

"W-What the fuck?!" The grunt swore again, before turning towards the new threat: it was that lady in the cave…Mars? I think? She took a step forward, giving the grunt what I could assume was a vehement glare.

"To taint such a beautiful forest with such vehicles of smoke and mist was terrible enough, and now you dare to kidnap a young girl?" She sneered, probably glaring at them with her crimson eyes. I shakily stood up, slouched over, Melia helping me a bit.

"You…you people are a disgrace to this world. With my honor as a member of the Culvier Clan, you _will_ meet your downfall." Leavanny nodded in agreement.

" _Ko! Ko!_ " Treecko got my attention. I didn't know how to respond so I just stuttered out a response.

"I-I'm…o-o-okay…" I replied, so soft I'm not sure he heard. Koffing nudged my head, attempting to get me out of my slouching state. Vivillon seemed to watching the Leavanny.

I slowly glanced around the area, and noted that the trainers were still standing there, in complete fear.

"Aevis! Are you okay?" Melia asked, which only confirmed my earlier thoughts.

"I-I'm…F-fine…" I stammered, attempting to get a grip on myself. I turned back towards Mars and the Team Xen grunt…s. The Swampert's trainer let out a growl of frustration, before letting out another Pokemon.

"Dodrio!" He yelled out as said Pokemon emerged. The Xen Member turned towards his partner.

"Nickoli! Go get the girl! I'll deal with the Culiever-whatever!" He commanded. The other began to stammer profusely.

"W-What?! I'm still just a newbie! That's why I'm with you in the first place!"

"Send out your Shadow Pokemon and you'll be fine!" He called out…Shadow what?

"Oh right!" Before I could think on it further, the other grunt made his first move.

"Dodrio! **Drill Peck**!"

"Evade!" The Leavanny readied itself, and the Bug-type dashed quick as lightning, Mars quickly ran to follow the battle. I gulped, watching as-

"Hey!" The other grunt, Nickoli, got my attention, and pulled out a Pokeball.

"Alright, Meowth! Let's go!"

Out from the ball was a Meowth, standing on its two legs…engulfed in a purple aura. Its normal white fur was replaced with a murky lavender hue, and its aura, purple as poison, alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine. Its slit-like eyes emotionlessly stared at nothing. Melia gasped.

"I-is that…! No…" She drawled out, and then suddenly glanced at the suitcase in her hand, as if she just remembered its existence. She turned towards me in desperation.

"Aevis! I need you to distract that thing, I need to get something from my briefcase!" She quickly got on the ground and began inputing a code…Wait what did she say?

" _Koff!_ " I snapped my head towards my floating Poison-type, and then towards my other Pokemon, who seemed almost eager to take the…Shadow Pokemon on…almost.

" _Please…promise to keep my daughter safe…"_

…Being someone of my word, I attempted to relax my nerves, and did a quick breathing exercise, the one my...momused to tell me to do…

In…

Out…

In…

Out…

In…

Out…

I stood as best I could, and stared down the Pokemon before me; Nickoli made the first move.

"Meowth! **Shadow Rush!** " The Meowth engulfed its body in a purple blaze, swiftly bolting over the grass. I outstretched a shaky arm.

"Q- **Quick Attack!** " Treecko quickly blazed through the field, but soon lost the struggle, its feet dragged across the grass. I grunted, and outstretched my arm again.

" **Sludge! **S- **Struggle Bug!**" Koffing quickly regurgitated several balls of sludge, and Vivillon formed multiple green spheres around its body, promptly launching them at the Meowth.

" **Shadow Wave!** " Meowth reared its head back slightly, forming a dark sphere over its mouth, before unleashing a powerful stream of darkness, blasting through the projectiles. Vivillon gasped and quickly flew away; Koffing was not so lucky, its slowness forcing it to tank the hit and slamming it into a nearby tree. I covered my face with my arm as dust exploded from the impact.

"KOFFING!" I yelled out. Don't…panic…Happy thoughts….Happy thoughts…

"T-Treecko! **Razor Wind!** " Treecko followed, leaping into the air and firing another barrage of projectiles. Nickoli laughed, as if his victory was guaranteed.

"Another **Shadow Wave!** " Meowth fired another beam of darkness that cut through the projectiles once more. Treecko hurriedly maneuvered around the blast.

" **Stun Spore!**" Vivillon hastily flew down towards the Meowth, releasing a yellow powder onto the Shadow Pokemon, several sparks soon surrounding its body. I sighed in relief at my small victory.

" **Razor Wind!** **Struggle Bug!** " A barrage of projectiles suddenly came flying towards the Shadow Pokemon. In response, it merely tanked the hit; its stoic gaze with its slit-like eyes didn't falter, and suddenly…it changed.

Without even a command, the Meowth engulfed itself in a purple aura, cancelling out the attacks and engulfing the Pokemon in a different light. Its previous light hue as replaced by what seemed like a literal lavender-colored fire embracing the Pokemon, its eyes suddenly shining blood red, like a predator's. Sharp claws were extended out of his paws. The sudden switch sent a shiver down my spine.

It then promptly blasted a spherical darkness around it, blasting both Treecko and Vivillon back, and I had to cover up my face with my cap.

"H-Hey!" Nickoli suddenly yelled out. "Be careful, that almost hit me!" He said to the Meowth…It was about to attack its own trainer…?

"Aev!"

I turned my head, and saw a metallic glove-shaped device flying towards me. I attempted to catch it with my right hand, but the device instead latched onto the back of my hand, black narrow lines trailing on my fingers, a white central piece covering my backhand.

"W-what is this?!"

"Try catching the Meowth!"

WHAT?!

"What?!" Nickoli echoed my thoughts clearly.

"Just throw a Pokeball! Trust me!" Melia cried out. I hesitantly glanced at the device, and then at the Meowth, who seemed to be powering up some sort of…"Hyper" attack…I reluctantly reached into my bag, and expanded a Pokeball.

"Go!" I threw the ball towards the Meowth…and it worked.

 _ ***Shake*…*Shake*…*Shake*…*Ding!***_

…

A moment of disbelief lingered over all of us. My mouth was hanging wide open in shock…

I caught it?!

"You caught it?!" Nickoli echoed my thoughts once more. "Hey!" He tried to run for the ball, only for Treecko to tail-slap it towards me. I juggled it for a moment, before clutching it in my hand.

"Give that back! I raised that Meowth since it was just an egg!" He pleaded.

"Well, since you made it into a Shadow Pokemon, I don't think you're deserving of it." Melia snorted. The grunt wept lightly, his fist clenched.

"What makes you think I had a choice…" He whispered to himself. Melia didn't seem to hear him though.

"DAMN IT!" The other grunt from earlier swore, returning his two downed Pokemon…He lost even with a four times type advantage…?

"Come on! We need to retreat!" Nickoli stammered.

"B-But my Meowth! I need it!" He gave me one final glance, before following his partner. "W-Wait up!"

…

With at least some of that shit show over, I collapsed on my rear, ignoring how my shoulder stung at the sudden movement…Wait a second…

"KOFFING!" I yelled out in realization like a dumbass. I quickly ran over towards the Poison-type's "landing tree", the Poison-type on a destroyed tree…One hit did _that?_

I crouched beside the Pokemon, whom had swirls over its eyes. A frown made its way onto my face.

"Aev!" Melia called out again. I turned my head towards her, the Culvier Clan trainer right behind her.

"Melia, I need a potion."

"R-right." She stuttered a bit, before handing me the item from her briefcase. I nodded in thanks, and administered it as best I could, which was admittedly shoddy, with only one arm functioning and the other barely.

"You're going to be fine buddy…" I whispered, my Vivillon humming in agreement. Mars coughed, turning our attention towards her.

"Your name is Aevis, correct?" She began, to which I nodded. "You have my thanks for distracting them until my arrival; I was in a deeper part of the cave, and thus, it took longer. You have my thanks for doing what you could." She bowed, her Leavanny mimicking her movement.

"…" Normally maybe I would've been embarrassed, but right now, I just wanted to leave and never come back.

"However, at the moment, there's no time to waste. We must get Melia to Gearen City." Melia tilted her head at that.

"W-why?"

"From what I could tell, she was the main reason they went here. Once she leaves, Team Xen would no longer have a reason to stay." Mars reasoned, to which I agreed with.

"Normally, we would take the East Gate, but the main problem there lies that that was where the trucks began to show up, and that the place to where Wispy Path leads is not a kind one." She followed up. I was confused, but decided not to push the topic. The blonde girl merely stared at the ground in response.

"…" Melia didn't seem too eager to play as a helpless victim; I gave her a consoling look, but I don't think it did much for her. I sighed, clueless what to do or say to the girl.

"Are the CyberNav communications still accessible?" I asked. Mars shook her head.

"Unfortunately, no. Team Xen must be interfering with the signal somehow, no communication can go in, or out." She explained, to which I released another sigh, already imaging an outraged Venam. I glanced around, and noticed the absence of the other trainers.

"Where is everyone else…?"

"I believe they scattered through the forest when the fighting began." She grit her teeth in frustration. "It will be difficult to ensure their safety now." She let out a sigh, and crossed her arms.

"Melia, do you know anything about the Pokemon just now? The device on your friend's hand seems to imply that you do." She gestured towards…whatever this thing was. The blonde girl gulped, nodded, and began to explain.

"Shadow Pokemon…they originated from the Orre region. Shadow Pokemon are much, much stronger than their original forms, although it comes with a price to pay of their…humanity, for lack of a better term... What they once were is still probably still in them…but until they're purified, they're suffering greatly." Melia explained.

"They become emotionless, and becoming nothing short of mere weapons with the desire to fight, even going as far to fight their own trainer should it go under a rampage…If they _do_ undergo a rampage, I think it was called…Hyper Mode? I think, their health slowly deteriorates until they can no longer fight…It's not even of their own will…" I suddenly felt uncomfortable with the Pokemon on my belt, a sudden jolt going through my legs.

"So, you're saying that they become mere uncontrollable weapons?" Mars summarized, to which Melia nodded sadly.

"Yeah…Although Shadow Pokemon were discontinued years ago. I don't know why or how Team Xen has Shadow Pokemon." She responded. Mars nodded, and then gestured towards the device again.

"And what off the device attached to your friend's hand?" She questioned, gesturing towards said object.

"It's a…Snag Machine. It interferes with the signal between a Pokemon and its Pokeball, allowing it to be captured…I don't know why it was in my briefcase though…" Melia drawled, gazing towards the briefcase on the grass. Mars nodded.

"Although, it wasn't the only thing in my briefcase…" Melia raised her hand, showing us a golden round pendant with a Pokeball engraving on it, hung by a thin silver chain.

"I found this inside too, haven't checked inside, but I guess that can wait until later." She said, dangling the pendant in her fingers before putting it on her neck. "It does look pretty though."

"Last question," Mars said, bringing the girl back to reality. "Do you know why they were after you?" The girl nervously rubbed her arm.

"…I don't know. The most I can think of is ransoming me as the Professor's daughter." Melia replied, a frown emerging on her face. "And…my ability, I suppose." Mars raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it further. She sighed, and glanced behind us.

"We need to get going. Aevis, I will need your assistance should any more Shadow Pokemon appear." I nodded, and we were off.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

Admittedly, the two of us didn't do much compared to Mars' powerhousing through everything.

Her Leavanny's movements were mesmerizing; it was like an ice skater in midair, painting a mosaic in the sky. Treecko, likewise, seemed to share my sentiment about the Pokemon. I particularly noticed it whenever his eyes shined when it used-

" **Leaf Blade**!" She ordered, bringing down another one of Team Xen's Pokemon, this time a Vigoroth.

Of course, even if she was doing most of the work, that wasn't to say that I was _completely_ useless.

"Vivillon, **Stun Spore!** Koffing, **Gyro Ball!** "

A Shadow Cacnea helplessly became paralyzed, before promptly getting slammed by the Poison-type, flying towards a nearby rock. I quickly expanded a Pokeball, and threw it.

"Go!"

The Shadow Pokemon went into the ball just like before, and I waited in anticipation.

 _ ***Shake*…*Shake*…*Shake*…*Ding!***_

I let out a breath of relief at the ding...at least I was getting lucky with my Pokeballs, that's something, right?

"What the?!" The Xen grunt I was battling against gasped, before hastily sprinting towards the ball, nearly tripping herself.

"WAIT! I NEED-!" Treecko slapped the ball towards me yet again. I gave Treecko a thankful nod, and my starter nodded back. I turned back towards Mars, who had just finished with her far more experienced grunt. I turned towards Melia.

"Melia, can you please heal my Vivillon?"

"S-Sure." It felt weird to not be the stuttering one in a conversation, but I ignored that for now.

"Aevis, Melia, let's keep moving." Mars ordered. I nodded, and quickly-

"PLEASE!"

What the hell?!

I nearly tripped at a sudden force holding onto my leg. I looked down to see the Xen Member, clinging onto me in desperation, both of her arms firmly gripped around my leg. Her fingers pressed deeply into my legs, to the point where it hurt.

"H-hey!" I tried to shake my leg off of the Team Xen Member, but to no avail. She raised her head towards me in desperation, her black hair frizzled and unkept. She was…crying?

"PLEASE!" She begged. "You…You don't know what **she** does to grunts who fail too many times!" She continued to beg, her tears falling on the grass. Her arms trembled with profuse sweat, as if her life was on the line.

"I-I-I-If I a-at least come back w-with my S-Shadow Pokemon, I won't be-!"

"Aevis, let's get going." Mars called out again. I glanced at the grunt for a moment, before yanking my leg away and running as fast as I could.

"WAIT!" She wailed as I dashed as fast I could. I didn't turn back; they were terrorists after all, I shouldn't feel bad for them…right?

 _They_ _ **killed**_ _…maybe kidnapped, mom._

I repeated that phrase in my head as I tried to justify myself; it wasn't working, for some stupid reason.

…

"Hey!" A particular pair of grunts eventually caught Mars' eyes though, a man and a woman.

"...That girl, yes?" The male questioned, to which the other…facepalmed.

"Yes, Eli. It's 'That's the girl', by the way." She clarified.

"Oh. Thanks a big."

"'Thanks a lot', you mean."

A quiet moment of silence seemed to pass over us, neither of the grunts making a move.

"…I believe this is when you oppose us?" Mars questioned, eyebrow raised.

"After the slaughter fest you put those other guys too? I don't think it'd be worth it. Besides, we're still new to this so our Pokemon aren't exactly on your level." The female shrugged, running a hand through her long orange hair.

"B-but Shadron! We job do!" Eli retorted in exasperation.

"'We have a job to do', you mean, and it's Sharon, _Sharon_ , for the last time." Sharon groaned."Also, we'll just fake it. Besides, our boss for this mission is one of the more laid back ones anyways." She explained.

"…Well, you have our gratitude." Mars said, more of a question than anything else, really.

"Eh. No problem. The exit's blocked off by a truck though." Sharon said, pointing a thumb to the side. "So yeah. Not really much point in-"

" **Leaf Blade!**"

Leavanny swiftly dashed towards the truck and hacked it in half, a clean cut present. I couldn't help but notice Treecko's face lit up at the sight.

"Well there goes that truck. Hope they don't take it out on us for that one." Sharon sighed, scratching her head in irritation.

"Is the station still open?" Mars inquired.

"Well, yeah. I don't think Team Xen's really going public anytime soon, so I doubt it. Wouldn't have planned all this so much if we were." Sharon shrugged again. That confused me, considering the TV News this morning, but saved that thought for later.

"What happened to the others who attempted to escape?" Mars questioned.

"Them? I don't know. They probably got stuffed in one of the trucks somewhere. Don't ask why we don't kill them." Sharon dismissed the topic. "But hey, **Less witnesses, you know?** Maybe it's just the whole keeping it discrete plan."

"…You're being rather forthcoming with this information." Mars narrowed her eyes. Sharon shrugged in indifference.

"No reason to disobey you, and a hundred reasons not to…Other than if we were found out…" She reasoned, and then groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "…Today just couldn't get any better, huh."

"S-sorry Shardion." Eli apologized.

" _Sha-ron._ " She clarified again, a small vein appearing on her forehead. "Come on. Although I doubt that the boss is going to let you guys leave anyways." Sharon shrugged once more, before walking back somewhere. "Come on, Eli."

"Yes, Sharionion." An irritated sigh followed afterwards. Mars blinked, and turned towards us.

"Aevis, I need you to escort Melia to the train station and alert the authorities; once Melia leaves, Team Xen will likely follow, but I intend to do what I can to ensure that none run away and they face justice for their actions." She ordered, her Leavanny nodding in reassurance. I nodded in response.

"…" Melia could still only stare at the golden grass lifelessly, as if a puppet without its string. I sighed, and couldn't help but feel guilty for her.

"It's not your fault, you know. You…couldn't have predicted they would come for you." I attempted to console. She turned towards me, her expression still lethargic.

"…Couldn't I…?" She barely whispered, turning back toward the grass. I grit my teeth, mentally berating myself. Way to fucking go Aevis. Mars let out an irritated, yet sorrow sigh.

"I understand how you feel, however-"

 _Fwoom!_

In an instant, a tremendous gale suddenly blasted past us, jolting both us and the trees around us; we barely managed to stay up until the gust finally stopped.

I readjusted my cap, and-

HOLY FUCK THAT'S A DRAGONITE-

"Leavanny, **Air Slash!** " The Bug-type leapt into the air and swiftly fired disc-like projectiles at the Dragon-type. The Dragonite effortlessly maneuvered around the attacks, a narrow stare never leaving its eyes.

"T-T-Treecko, **Razor Wind!** " The Grass-type gently leapt from my shoulder and released crescent-shaped projectiles at the Dragon-type. This time, it merely tanked the hit, unfazed by the attack. I gulped, taking a step back as sweat crawled down my skin. Treecko landed on the grass, appalled.

" _VI! VI!"_ Vivillon shouted in panic. Koffing let out a noise of terrified agreement. The Dragonite let out a ferocious roar, powerful enough to make me stumble back and protect my head with my arm. It began to cluster a fireball within its mou-

"RUN!" Mars quickly commanded as the Dragonite discharged a stream of fire its mouth. I let out a shrill shriek and ran as fast as I could with a faulty shoulder, which _of freaking course_ , made me slower and-

"AEVIS DODGE!"

I could barely turn my head as Mars suddenly tackled me down to the grass.

 _Crink!_

I couldn't help but let out a arduous scream as my shoulder crashed first into the grass, but the sound of a deafening explosion from where I previously stood overshadowed my scream. Mars hurriedly carried me by my good arm, and continued running; I attempted to ignore the searing pain in my shoulder.

Despite how the explosion continued to ring in my ears, the sound of flares streaming behind me was evident, and the taste of burning grass was in the air. Mars would occasionally command an **Air Slash** , but it lead to no avail.

Eventually, the spiral of fire stopped, and the three of us and our Pokemon gasped for breath, Mars still holding me up.

"Wonderful day out, isn't it?"

The sudden voice made Mars jerk her head upwards, and I finally took notice of who was in front of us. A blonde haired man stood in front of the lake, his ruffled hair and blue trench coat waving in the wind. He casually turned his head back to us, his crimson eyes shadowed by his hair.

"…Koffing, if you please." Mars said, before promptly letting my arm rest on the Poison-type, making me stumble a bit. Mars coughed. "You're dressed differently from the rest of the grunts…Are you their leader?" He smiled.

"Eh, you could say that." He shrugged nonchalantly. His gaze fell onto each of us for a moment, before stopping on Melia.

"Ah…it really is like looking into a mirror…" The blonde man mumbled, before waving some blonde hair out of his face. "Well, considering all of you are still alive, even if you did just piggyback your efforts on one of you, I think you all deserve a reward. But first, it's common courtesy to introduce yourself." He gave us a sly smile.

"Well, my buddy chum pal buddy friend chum bud friend nuisance buddy brotha fresh-meat amigo friend chummy chum soon-to-be-dead pal chum friend stupid brotha…Name's Zetta, Team Xen Admin." He introduced himself comically, giving a lighthearted bow. He gestured towards the Pokemon to his side.

"This is Dragonite. Say hi Dragonite."

 _Huff!_

"Dragonite says hi."

He chuckled, as if said Pokemon wasn't about to murder us not ten seconds ago. I stared at the man as if he was crazy, which might not have been far off. Mars straightened herself, meeting Zetta's gaze.

"…I do believe that who I am is of any relevance to you…" She replied bluntly. "Although I believe that the girl is a target of value for you, correct?" Zetta let out a disgruntled grunt.

"You really can't trust those idiots with anything huh…" He grumbled. "Well, I suppose it's of no consequence to me, and your names don't actually interest me…" His smile shallowed, and he pointed a finger towards me…

Wait what?

"That device on your friend's hand however, does." He added. "Hey kid, what's your name?" I gulped.

"A-Aevis." And told him the truth like a fucking idiot. Zetta hummed.

"Aevis? Weird name, did you parents hate you or something?" He replied, then took a step back, hands raised. "Woah, touched a nerve there, didn't I?"

I blinked, and stared down at my white-knuckled fist, shaking with a fierce force. The Admin chuckled.

"You know what, I'll make you a deal; you give me the device, and I'll let you leave alive, and you can live in blissful ignorance like everyone else. And hey, maybe I'll even answer your burning questions about life over a cup of coffee." Zetta offered, a friendly tone in his voice so inviting that it seemed to calm me down, as if he was my friend…and it only made me shiver more. Melia let out a light gasp.

"Aevis, don't fall for it." Mars commanded.

But it was too late; the gears in my head already began turning.

 _ **Did your**_ _ **parents**_ _ **hate you?**_

 _ **I'll even answer your burning**_ _ **questions**_ _ **about life-**_

My eyes glanced down towards the grass, and from there, Treecko was giving me an odd look.

…

With my eyes shadowed by my cap, I slowly raised a shivering arm towards my chest, as if about to offer it to the Admin. I heard Melia choke, and the only thing I could see was Treecko's eyes widened. Zetta whistled in surprise.

"Huh. That was easier-"

"What happened to the S.S. Oceana?"

The words left my mouth before I even realized it. I slowly raised my head to meet the Admin's stare, my arm still trembling as if an earthquake shot through it. Zetta blinked, almost taken back by my question, before smiling.

"I see…You're the _survivor_ , aren't you? The one that Elite 8 whatever mentioned on the TV? So that's the reason he…" He mumbled the last parts to himself, seemingly lost in his thoughts for a while. I took the opportunity to glance towards Melia, who tightly clutched her chest, and was on the verge of tears.

…I attempted to hold back the disgust I held towards myself; it didn't work. Bile kept piling onto my throat as the seconds passed, weighing down on me as if it was they were sins. I'm a coward and a dirty friend for even _thinking_ of this…but I was too far in.

"Well," Zetta began, focusing his gaze on me. "I suppose that someone you cared about was on that ship, correct?" He chuckled, as if this was a game of poker and he had a full house. "Well, I can assure you of one thing." He stopped, giving me a…gleeful look.

" **They're alive."**

…

…

…

Time itself seemed to stop for me, as if the realm of reality had escaped me for a brief moment. I didn't breathe, nor did I blink, instead I lifelessly stood there, letting my arm fall to my side.

"And what's more," He followed up, his smile somehow becoming even more gleeful, almost sadistic. "Give me the device…and I'll happily **reunite** you with whoever you lost."

!

…

My legs shook with an impossibly fierce tremor; as if the burden on my shoulder got lighter and heavier at the same time, as if an imbalance took place in my soul.

 _DO IT!_

A voice inside me screamed, begged, and wailed, repeating those two words for what seemed like an eternity for me. It was like a caged Pyroar begging like an Eevee for escape.

 _DON'T YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR MOM AGAIN?!_

My vision blurred with tears as I involuntarily took a step back, Koffing tumbling under my arm for a bit. I began to hyperventilate, sharp breaths leaving me like the _MOTHER YOU LEFT BEHIND!_

Several moments passed as stood there, hyperventilating like a maniac, staring at the grass and contemplating my answer, uncaring that the ashes from the fire earlier filled my lungs with each breath.

I looked around me; Mars' expression was unreadable, Melia was shocked, almost to an absurd degree, Vivillon stared at me, expression just as unreadable as Mars', and Treecko…stared, his slit-like eyes judging me like he always did, like everyone's eyes did.

 _I don't want to see that._

I let my cap cover my vision again; I didn't want to make this choice…yet I was the one who asked for it, wasn't I?

Why didn't I just keep my damn mouth shut?

…

Zetta coughed.

"Well? Are you going to be an idiot and reject my offer? Or will you accept it, like a foolish believer? Honestly, it's almost exciting either way. The anticipation is killing me…" He showed a toothy grin…he almost seemed…angry?

"But, then again, I never been a fan of dramas…so, instead, let's have some fun."

Zetta snapped his fingers, and suddenly, a blood red circle appeared in the middle of the lake behind the man, and it began spiraling into itself, outlines of black veining the circle. A ferocious roar bellowed from the circle, the water below swirling like a typhoon beneath it.

Suddenly, the circle stopped spiraling, and then, the ground shook.

Chaotic magnitudes shook the ground, as if an entire meteor shower crashed down. I stumbled in place as the tremors only grew larger in magnitude each time, and then, it stopped for the briefest of moments.

Then, something emerged form the circle.

A long, enormous snake-like body emerged from the circle, black scales covered the leviathan from head to tail, its front part taking a dark beige. The fearsome creature stopped ascending, its bottom still within the circle, and stared us down like the Bug-types we were. Its pure blood-red eyes pierced through our souls, a humongous mouth wide open, displaying sharp, terrifying fangs.

The Gyarados roared, blasting a deafening howl throughout the entire forest, and maybe even farther. My hair stood on end as the unimaginable feeling of dread somehow got worse.

"W-W-WHAT IS THAT?!" Melia screamed. I reflexively flinched at the Admin's chuckle.

"Ah, yes, that is a much more exciting response, and I get to play as teacher, bonus." He noted with a smile.

"That, is a Dimensional Rift, created from a culmination of Pokemon to form one super-Pokemon, as unimaginative as that name sounds. It feeds off of the negative emotions of Pokemon, of its suffering and hatred, if you will…" He explained, gesturing towards the creature. "It's a means of transport, means of transformation…It's an all in one package…which I will gladly show you."

The blonde man raised a gloved hand towards me…enveloping me in a purple hue. My body suddenly began to levitate above the ground, as if I was being pushed upwards.

 _Thud!_ My backpack fell to the ground, leaving only my messenger bag. I helplessly watched as Zetta raised me up. I lifelessly let it happen as I breathed, barely.

" _Tree?!"_ Treecko screeched, having been picked up as well. I could heard Vivillon and Koffing making similar cries. All I could do was stay still, my vision blurry and my mind soft-reseting.

"Then again though, I've never been a fan of drama." He smiled sadistically as he casually levitated me and my Pokemon over the grass. Melia screamed something, but my mind tuned it out.

"Aevis!" Mars yelled. Leavanny attempted to leap towards me, but was cut off by a stream of fire. Zetta chuckled at that.

"Right…Never been a fan of silence, so, I'll just skip to the exciting part…" He clenched his fist, suddenly making the Gyarados vanish, making the circle spiral and the Dimensional Rift to reappear.

"Here's your teacher's final note: If you defeat my beautiful creation, you come out alive…" He smiled sadistically, his eyes shining with malice. "And here's some advice…"

"TRY NOT TO DIE!" He laughed as me and my Pokemon sped for the rift.

"AEVIS!" Melia suddenly screeched. I could barely turn my head to see the girl I nearly betrayed crying for me.

"MELIA, RUN!" I heard, followed by the sound of dust clouds forming. I tightened my eyes, and screamed.

 **LINE-BREAK-**

For a moment, there was nothing but darkness.

 _Like just after the bomb-_

And then, there was rain. Harsh rain that stormed over my head, an occasional roar of thunder in the air. I adjusted my vision, and could barely see past the dim lighting of where I stood. When my eyes finally worked again, I could see a forest, a much, much different forest than before.

Dark green trees scattered everywhere, over a field of velvet grass. I glanced at where I stood: a velvet colored dock, right next to the ocean, the wooden planks stained wet and very slippery.

 _Like just after the ship-_

"W-w…where am I?" I questioned out loud as I glanced everywhere in the forest, legs still shaking.

A sudden roar of thunder cut off my thoughts, making me jump and nearly tumbling off of the dock into the violently swirling ocean; I winced as my shoulder stung with pain…wait, where's Koffing?

" _VI! VI!"_ Vivillon suddenly showed up, making me jump. _"Vivillon, Vi!"_ She cried out, as she struggled to stay afloat due to the harsh rain. I didn't know whether she was scared, or disappointed.

" _Koffing?_ " The Poison-type cried out what I assumed was question. I glanced at my shoulder, and sighed.

"You…s-stay up there for now, I think I can walk." I insisted. He didn't say anything in response. My starter stood on the wooden dock, staring at me…sympathetically? I wasn't the best at reading Pokemon expressions, so I could only assume that I imagined it.

" _Ko._ " The Grass-type simply said, wagging his tail…anxiously? I shook my head out of my thoughts, and finally took note of the current predicament I was in; I decided to be a fucking coward and idiot to consider doing what the terrorist leader wanted.

Genius move, Aevis.

I swallowed the bile down my throat, and once again, repeatedly breathed in and out, deeply, my cap thankfully preventing any raindrops on my face.

" **They're alive."**

The words suddenly repeated as the realization began to set in...Mom was alive.

" **AEVIS!"**

The scream of a frightened blonde girl, who I promised to protect came to mind; she was also alive.

…

All the more reason to get out of here…wherever "here" is. As soon as possible.

After that, I attempted to analyze the situation. Vivillon could barely stay afloat due to the harsh rain, and Koffing's probably a similar situation, so aerial surveillance is out of the question. Treecko probably couldn't see too much in this lighting, so tree climbing's out of the picture too.

The forest was dim, but I could still somewhat make out my surroundings, which soley consisted of the vast ocean behind me and a rosè path of grass in front of me.

I deeply breathed in and out again, and adjusted my cap a bit

"We…" My voice was too soft, so I raised my volume up a bit. "We…need to get going, I don't know where…but nothing's probably going to happen if we just stay here." Treecko nodded, and the other two grunted hesitantly.

I slowly began to walk, being careful not to slip. Once I reached the grass, I walked a bit faster. Treecko walked alongside me and Vivillon sat on my cap, the harsh rain leaving a bit of a toll on her if she flew. As I walked, the sound of water crashing into more water became louder and louder, only making my heartbeat accelerate quicker.

Once I walked in deeper, I saw a red arc on the path. Two scarlet beams straight up, and a uniquely designed one going across. It looked like the types one would see in a dojo. I gulped, an unknown feeling of dread swirling inside me, then I kept walking.

Then I walked further, and there was another. I kept walking, the sound of water crashing still growing louder.

Eventually, the rain seemed to lighten up a little, enough for me to see the scene before me in its entirety. In front of me, was a…sanctuary, or a valley, for lack of a better term. Trees were symmetrically arranged on the left and right, and close to the back, was a large body of water with an astronomically tall waterfall, harshly crashing down onto the water; I could barely see the top of it.

With shivering skin and dry throat, I took a few steps closer into the sanctuary, noting the large mountain-like formations on either side, both too tall to climb.

Once I took a few steps in, I noticed that there was another small dock on the lake, and on the wooden dock, was a Magikarp, flailing around in the rain. Even if it was a Magikarp, the sight of something moving so quickly in this seemingly dead island seemed to slow my breathing.

" _Vi?_ "

As I took in the environment, Vivillon caught my attention and pointed towards…a Pokeball? A Black Sphere with a Crimson Cross over it lied in the middle of the field. I steeled my nerves as best I could and began walking towards it. I squatted down a bit, and narrowed my eyes at the device.

"….What the heck is this?" I asked myself. I held out a hand and-

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

I let out an unmanly screech at the beeping, tumbling to the ground.

When my shoulder made contact with the ground, I grit my teeth tight enough to not scream; I wasn't sure whether it was out of fear or of my slowly dying throat. I eventually sat back up, my Poison-type right in front of me.

" _Koffing!_ " He cried out. I heard Treecko cry something in response from my side. I turned my attention back to the device, and narrowed my eyes at it.

 _ **DOWNLOAD COMPLETE**_ – It crisscrossed over the Red X. I raised an eyebrow, and pulled out the only two gadgets I had. I first pulled out the Pokedex, which didn't have anything new for me, but my Cybernav…it blinked. A new feature had apparently been installed. I opened it, the device displaying a new function in the list.

"Dimensional Rift Dex…?" I read aloud. Treecko walked to my shoulder and peered over. I tapped the first thing on the screen, and it showed a long list of ?s. All were blank, except for one: Code: Evo. I hesitantly opened it, and on the screen was a picture of the…Demon, Gyarados, along with a description.

 **Rift – 01 – Gyarados**

 _ **Typing: Water – Ability: Intimidate**_

 **Despite its size and power, it's not a Gyarados. It's a combination of all the Magikarp in the lake into one Magikarp, forming the towering Pokemon. Due to its lack of experience and control over its new body, its unused to its form; it's a grand example of size doesn't mean power. This is not to say it's still not a formidable foe due to its size advantage against others. It lives off of the regret that it didn't evolve on its own.**

…

So…Despite its size it was still as frail as a Magikarp?

…

That was hard to believe, although I couldn't really believe nor doubt what this thing was telling me, I didn't even know what this thing was, for all I know it could be a trap.

…Wait…if this thing is here, then…?

…

I hesitantly turned my head back towards the Magikarp on the docks, still flopping in place; that alone nearly sent a shiver down my spine.

Another roar of thunder echoed through the sanctuary, and the crashing of the waterfall seemingly grew louder after that. I gulped, and stood back up, somehow without Koffing's support.

I took a deep breath, and slowly made my way towards the Magikarp, legs still shivering like paper in the wind…Do it for Melia, do it for mom…

…

"Get ready…" I mumbled softly, but my Pokemon didn't seem to need to hear it to do so.

I took my last step in front of the bouncing Magikarp, sweat still profusely running down my back, _against a Magikarp, you freaking coward_.

…

I nearly screamed when it suddenly bounced into the water.

Suddenly, it swiftly swam…up the waterfall, fighting against the tremendous current. Its fins and tails vigorously moved left and right to force the Pokemon to go against the current. I watched silently as the Magikarp performed a physically impossible feat right in front of my own eyes.

Eventually, it reached the top. I had to squint my eyes a bit to even see its silhouette anymore. What was more striking than the tiny Pokemon, however, was that another red arc rested on top of the waterfall, seemingly taunting in its position. The Magikarp quickly flew towards it, and…shined, its body glowing with an impossible bright light.

And then, it came crashing down into the water again, its impact forcing a spray of water to fly out. As soon as the Magikarp hit the water, the rain immediately stopped, as if time froze…

Soon after, the lake trembled, ripples repeatedly pulsing on the lake's surface like an earthquake. My Pokemon and I took a step back, watching the scene with baited breath.

Then, a red circle pulsating with black outlines faded in above the body of water; for a second, I had hope of escaping this place. I couldn't have been anymore wrong.

The circle solidified, and the Gyarados rose up again, its body black and eyes crimson. It turned its ferocious head towards us, and roared; the mere force of its cry was enough to shake the trees and grass around us.

My entire body shivered as I stared at the behemoth with an open jaw.

" _TREECKO!"_ The Grass-type screamed right beside me, snapping me out of my trance. I still hyperventilated, and, as ready as I ever would be…the battle began.

Vivillon hastily took to the skies, Koffing following suit. I hastily took several steps back, as fast as I could with an injured shoulder.

"T-t-" I bit my tongue. "T-Treecko, **Razor W-Wind**!"

The Grass-type leapt towards the side, its tail blazing blue, and fired a barrage of crescent-shaped projectiles at the leviathan. Gyarados flinched at the attack, but then countered with…a blazing ball of energy. The blue flare launched for Treecko.

"Q- **QUICK A** -DODGE!" I screamed. Treecko dashed out of the blast radius, the flare leaving a semi-large crater in its wake, incinerating the grass around it.

DEFINITELY MAGIKARP POWER

" _KO!"_

AEVIS FOCUS DAMNIT.

"K-k-Koffing! **Sludge!** V-Vivillon, **Struggle Bug!** " The two aerial Pokemon fired balls of sludge and orbs of green at the leviathan, successfully landing on the Water-type. Gyarados winced, but was mostly unfazed. Its fangs flared with ferocious fire, its fangs flying for Vivillon, who let out shill screech. I choked.

" **ABSORB! ABSORB!**" Treecko wasted no time in entangling the Gyarados in streams of red beams, successfully halting its attack. Gyarados wriggled its body, Treecko dragged his feet on the grass in an attempt to sustain control.

"S- **Stun Spore!**" An insane amount of yellow powder was frantically spilled over the Water-type, instantly spreading sparks all throughout its body, paralyzing it. Treecko managed to keep a firm grip, and began draining the Gyarados' energy. I couldn't help but let out a small cheer at that.

"Koffing, Vivillon! Keep attacking!" The two Pokemon did just that, their respective projectiles flying once again towards the leviathan, light trails of smoke leaving from their marks. Gyarados was getting decently damaged under the barrage of attacks, and I somehow held hope that we would come out of this unscathed…

The leviathan suddenly bellowed a deafening howl, finally breaking free of its entanglement, making Treecko drop to his rear. A shiver went up my spine as the Gyarados dived headfirst into the body of water, its tail smacking Koffing and Vivillong on its way down, sending the two crashing down into opposite sides of the valley.

"KOFFING! VIVILLON!" I screamed, my throat hoarse. The Gyarados eventually completely vanished into the lake, and all I could do was stand, frozen and staring blankly at nothing, standing frozen and-

" _TREECKO!"_ My starter suddenly cried out to me, snapping me out of my trance…

 _God damn it! Melia and Mom are somewhere outside of here Aevis! GET MOVING!_

I sped-walk towards Vivillon with shivering legs, my shoulder still aching in pain. Treecko followed me, nimbly dashing on the grass. I found the Bug-type crashed into a crater into the mountain wall, its body bruised and eyes half-closed.

"Vivillon!" I yelled out again in an attempt to wake her up. The Bug-type weakly cried something out in response, and slowly flew out of the hole. Heavy breaths left her, her tiny body slouched and wings flapped sluggishly.

I bit my lip; was I supposed to return her to her ball, or to let her continue?

As I mulled over the question, I turned towards Treecko, who continued to stare at the tired Vivillon…one hit did that to her, I don't want to imagine what two would do…

I shuffled through my bag and a Pokeball accidentally fell out and rolled onto the grass.

The one…holding…the Shadow Meowth.

…

I slowly knelt down and held the ball in my hand, and bit my lip even harder, blood nearly pouring out, as I pondered over the new question: Is it worth it to let it out?

" _H-Hey!" Nickoli suddenly yelled out. "Be careful, that almost hit me!"_

" _They become emotionless, and becoming nothing short of mere weapons with the desire to fight, even going as far to fight their own trainer should it go under a rampage."_

I turned my head towards Treecko, his expression blank and unreadable. I grit my teeth, and turned back towards the Bug-type. The sudden memory of Melia and her words made my hand shiver.

…

" _Vi…_ " My Pokemon's sickly cry gave me an answer to both questions. I kept the Shadow Meowth's ball first, and pulled out Vivillon's.

"…Return." I said simply, returning Vivillon with a shaky arm. If she was against it, she didn't show it. She's worked hard enough, and this was her home; who knows how much of a toll this was on her. Besides, it was a trainer's job to do this sort of thing, right?

 _Maybe if your arm stopped trembling you'd actually believe that._

I kept Vivillon's ball into my bag, and grabbed the Shadow Meowth's.

...

Why am I so damn indecisive?

I kept the Shadow Pokemon's ball again, and sped-walk towards Koffing's landing site. Treecko looked at me, head tilted, but he didn't seem to question me. I continued to walk as fast as my-

 _Fwoom!_

And _of course_ , I'm _just_ slow enough that I ended up right in front of Gyarados when it emerged again.

It roared, and I let out a shrill shriek. Any thought or doubt I previously had vanished in an instant, instead replaced by an unshakable fear, cold sweat running down my back.

It turned its head towards me, its crimson eyes piercing through my soul, and began to charge a flare in its mouth. Treecko cried something out, and I instinctively threw a Pokeball down. From it, emerged the Shadow Meowth. Thankfully, its eyes and aura were…not normal but back to what it was before.

The Gyarados discharged its blast, flying towards us at tremendous speeds. I stood with my jaw open, before screaming…

WHAT WAS IT CALLED WHAT WAS IT CALLED-?!

"WAVE!" I screamed, before mentally facepalming. " **SHADOW WAVE!**"

The Meowth stared at the towering projectile, and suddenly discharged a purple spiral stream towards it, fighting against the blast. I gulped, praying to whatever god above that Meowth succeeded…

Soon after the struggle, the beam cut through the flare, completely eradicating the blast and, luckily enough, blasting the Gyarados as well, an oddly huge amount of smoke piling from the mark. I couldn't help but let my jaw fall open at the sudden display of power. The Water-type threw its body back, eventually falling into the waterfall and mountain behind.

" _T-Treecko!_ " The Green Pokemon shrieked, surprised by the Shadow Pokemon's power, before promptly regaining his cool…How does he do that so quickl-

 _ROOOOOOOOOOOAAARR!_

The Gyarados suddenly bellowed a deafening howl that echoed throughout the forest like a ring in a boxing match…before it fell.

The body of the towering behemoth suddenly crashed into the grass, right beside us. Its long body began from the lake and its insanely large head came crashing down onto the grass, its mouth still hanging wide open. Its body crashed down with an abundance of dust and dirt flying.

 _Gra…_

It cried for the last time, before its eyes closed. I wasn't sure if I imagined it or not, but a faint whisper echoed through the forest.

" _Thank…you…_ "

…

I took in a sharp inhale when I remembered I needed to breathe…

Suddenly, in an instant, the Gyarados vanished.

The leviathan seemed to implode into hundreds of black sparkles into the air, its body completely gone from beside us. The sparkles faded into the air, and the Pokemon was no more…?

…

"D…Did we do it?" I asked, still wary.

" _Here's your teacher's final note: If you defeat my creation, you come out alive…"_

We beat the Gyarados…right?

So…why did I feel so-

" _MYAAAAAAA!"_

Maybe it was because of the BLAZING POKEMON RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

The Shadow Pokemon screeched, firing a spherical darkness around it, blowing both me and Treecko back. Luckily, I managed to stay standing up.

It glared at us, its piercing red-eyes and flaring body making it appear larger than it was. It proudly displayed its fangs, and extended the claws of his paws.

The question was, how the hell-

" _What they once were is still probably still in them…but until they're purified, they're suffering greatly."_

" _It feeds off of the negative emotions of Pokemon, of its suffering and hatred, if you will…"_

…

The Shadow Meowth was now the one powering the rift.

" _MYAAAAAAA!"_

It shrieked, both in great pain and ferocious fury. Treecko took a battle stance in front of me, its palms readied in front of his face. I nervously glanced at the Pokeball on the grass, and was about to reach it-

 _Smack!_

FUCK!

I yelled in pain as I flew back at the sudden beam of the Shadow Pokemon, my body being thrown in midair before crashing down into the gras-

 _Crink!_

My body rolled through the grass for a while, before I finally stopped tumbling and landed a good distance away, lying on my _left_ shoulder.

…

A scream shrill enough to break glass escaped me.

A million needles spiked through my shoulder repeatedly as my throat became hoarse from the screaming. Agonizing pain coursed through my shoulder like a fire. I clutched my shoulder as best I could, which only made the pain worse. I didn't care, I wanted this pain to end, and so I clutched my shoulder as tight as I could against the grass.

Tears ran down my face as I helplessly lied down on the grass, my clothes dirtied by the earlier tumble. I closed my knees, attempting to find _some_ form of comfort…

Eventually, the numbness began to fade in, and I began to lose consciousness…

" _Please…promise to keep my daughter safe…."_

The memory of a promise popped into my mind, and I managed to stay conscious…I like to keep my promises, thank you very much world.

" _TREECKO!_ " I heard my starter scream, snapping me out of my trance. My swirled and distorted vision made it difficult to see it at first, but after getting to my knees I saw…the Shadow Meowth, rushing towards me in a blazing purple aura.

…

 _SLAM!_

…

I let out a soft gasp as the purple Pokemon crashed…into the Shadow Pokemon.

"K…Koffing?" I barely whispered as the Poison-type stopped its rotation. It made a cry of confirmation and soon enough, Treecko was there again.

" _Treecko Tree!"_ He cried out, pumping his fists...I think, it was difficult as I could barely see anything.

" _MYAAA!_ "

I tilted my head, turning towards the Shadow Pokemon ready to pounce once more. My eyes trailed towards the Pokeball close to where I once stood, which now, was too far for me to limp towards. I grunted, and turned back to the Shadow Pokemon. I squinted my eyes, and saw it was…struggling?

" _If they do undergo a rampage, which I think was called…Hyper Mode? I think, their health slowly deteriorates until they can no longer fight…It's not even of their own will…"_

"…Distract it…" I mumbled, to which to two gave me a look. "It'll…tire…itself out…" I could barely speak, my throat finally realizing how dry it was. The two nodded, determined looks in their eyes, and-

A sudden stream blazed _just_ past my head.

"GO!" I screamed with whatever I had left. The two dashed. " **Acrobatics!** "

Treecko zoomed through the grass, and the Meowth was suddenly barraged by a flurry of kicks and strikes. Meowth snarled, and let out a dark burst of energy, blowing Treecko back. It planted its feet, and charged a-

" **Gyro Ball!**" Not the time to be an observer, Aevis. Koffing slammed into the Meowth's side, cancelling the attack and knocking it back, its feet dragging across the ground.

" **Absorb! Sludge!** "

Treecko let out bright red streams while Koffing fired poison sludge quickly. The Meowth nimbly avoided the beams and maneuvered around the balls of sludge with ease. It staggered for a brief moment, nearly tripping, and then extended its claws. I winced at its blades' sharpness.

"Distance! **Razor Wind! Sludge!** "

Treecko leapt into the air and fired numerous projectiles, and Koffing continued its barrage. The Meowth blocked and deflected each projectile with its claws, and then, it stuttered, brief enough to allow one attack to get through and began the storm of crescents and sludges at the Shadow Pokemon…

"Finish this! **Quick Attack** and **Gyro Ball!** "

The two Pokemon quickly zoom across the field, and crashed into the Shadow Meowth, knocking it into a rocky formation and knocking it out.

…

"Pokeball." I muttered, but still loud enough for Treecko to hear. The Grass-type looked around, and then ran towards the ball. I strenuously got back up, my legs still functioning fine. I limped my way towards the downed Shadow Pokemon left arm limping and unresponsive, and Treecko handed me the Pokeball.

…

I silently held out the ball, and returned the Shadow Meowth. The capture signal absorbed the downed Pokemon, and before I knew it, the world blinked once more.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

One moment, I was barely standing on the grass of another dimension with searing pain in my shoulder.

The next, I was lying on the grass of Goldenwood Forest…with searing pain on my shoulder.

…

I bit my lip to stop myself from screaming, and sat up on the grass, taking a moment for my vision adjust to the sudden bright colors again. I raised a hand towards my head, grunting in pain.

"HEY!"

I flinched at the sudden noise, and raised my head to see someone in a blue uniform…Once my eyes adjusted enough, I recognized him as a police officer.

"Are you okay?!" He suddenly knelt down, examining me and dusting off my clothes…I coughed, and stared at the officer, eye-to-eye…We were in Goldenwood Forest right…? Why…was I here-?

" _Please…Promise to keep my daughter safe…_ "

MELIA!

"…M…Melia…W..where?" I muttered, begrudgingly sitting up.

"Melia?! She contacted us earlier! She should be in Gearen…"

The officer yelled something after that, but I tuned it out…I felt a smile on my face as darkness enveloped me in its embrace.

 **-LINE-BREAK-**

… **Holy shit it's been a while.**

 **Anyways, I guess I'm alive? Yay?**

 **Anyways, to the...probably 5 or so people still interested in this story, I'm not gonna get into why I was dead when its really boring and can really just summed up to "Boredom, and a shit ton of Anxiety".**

 **How often am I gonna update? Not going to lie, probably not very often…Honestly it's not for any particular reason, I'm just bored I guess.**

 **...It's actually a really terrifying feeling to post this, but since this was just lying in my files unfinished...yeah.**

…

 **Anyways, how do you guys like the chapter? I'm personally not too satisfied, since my fight scenes are shit and I feel like I drag things on and on too much, but I'm still inexperienced in all of this, especially after being dead for who knows how long. I haven't written shit in what feels like a decade, and it's my first time dealing with actual trauma…Kinda. I did my best, and that's really all I can do until I improve as a writer.**

" **Wait what? It's been over half a year and you posted a chapter you're still not satisfied with?"**

 **Yes. I know, I'm a dumbass.**

 **Sorry if this chapter seems...edgy, for lack of a better term.**

 **Some of you guys might be questioning my decision to make Team Xen** _ **pretty**_ **overpowered compared to Aevis, but honestly? This is the idea I had all the way back in May, but of course I was just too much of a dumbass to actually get it done, although I'm still not entirely sure if that was a good move.**

 **Still, I felt as though that Melia, the main reason that Madame X allegedly went on a murdering spree due to her death, wouldn't send her strongest grunts to capture her. I still added in the Shadow Pokemon since they were still experimental at this time, and seem to be relevant to the plot. Why would weak Shadow Pokemon be there? Well, let's just assume that they thought the job was going to be easy, and decided to test-run them here.**

 **How am I going to work around OP Team Xen grunts? Idk.**

 **Some of you probably hate the fact that I made Mars come up out of nowhere** **, but in the game, there's actually another "Culvier" Clan trainer you can fight, and she has a freaking Level 85 Alakazam. Considering that I was already taking liberties with Team Xen's level, I saw it fitting that she was as powerful as her fellow clan members…whatever the hell they are anyways.**

 **Probably going to expand on that through my own headcanon at some point.**

…

 **Pokemon Rejuvenation had a new version came out, but I only began playing it in late January, and…yeah. A lot has changed, like Melia's Metronome removal, (YAY!) and a bit of new dialogue and a new rift area too! A lot has been redesigned, and I really look forward to see what happens.**

 **Sadly though, my life is still trapped in the cage that is school, so I'm not going to be finishing it anytime soon, nor am I gonna be able to update often, but I'll do by best I guess.**

 **Then again though, I recently discovered about the beauty of Rejuv Debug Mode, I think I can finish it quick enough, hopefully.**

…

 **Also, if you guys are questioning the information I placed on the Red X Pokeball thing,** **some of that information came from a certain sidequest in Grand Dream City, which further expands on the Rift Pokemon. It's easy to find, and confirms that the devices are an actual thing.**

 **As for the Shadow Pokemon powering the Dimensional Rift…don't ask me where I got that idea, because I don't know. The idea kinda just popped into my head that "Dimensional Rifts latch onto whatever is suffering" which explains the Aelita rift and Chandelure rift you can find, so I figured that Shadow Pokemon count too, and it would be weird if it stopped functioning while it was still in it.**

 **Then again though, this is just a headcanon, so who knows?**

…

 **What am I missing…?**

… **Oh right.**

 **I'M SO SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY FOR BEING DEAD FOR SO DAMN LONG! I'M REALLY SORRY! I KNOW THIS SEEMS REALLY PETTY BUT I'M REALLY REALLY SORRY!**

…

 **REVIEWS!**

…

 **WanderingPenguin** **: Hello…! And I'm SORRY SORRY-**

 **Yeah…If you're still reading this despite everything, then, thank you, so much. You're a really awesome guy/girl, and I really hope you're still reading this.**

 **Anyways, thanks for the character's age confirmation. I've heard that some people are really adamant about the whole 10 years thing starting, so I wasn't sure what to do. Although I will say, I kinda disagree with you on Ren's Goldenleaf Age…somewhat.**

 **See, even if this is like, a long time after Melia "dies", Ren is probably the only one we can actually see her death having an effect on. Venam rages, but brushes it off in the next scene, and you don't even meet her again for quite some time. Yes, Venam's mom makes that one comment, but that's it really.**

 **Yes, Ren is being irrational, but really, I feel as though he's a better character than some others. Of course, he could have been written better or have executed his story better, as his act is very irritating to players, but I do think that. Think of it this way; you're best friend/crush is dead and you know it's your fault. And so, you do what you can to get stronger, but due to recent trauma alongside childhood/hometown trauma, you become stressed, irrational, and etc.**

 **Since you're at fault, you feel the need to make it up, and so, Ren does this by trying to save Goldenleaf Town from itself; in a way, this is his way of coping with his best friend's/crush's death. He feel like he alone has to burden himself with this responsibility, otherwise he think he'll never be at ease.**

 **And you take that away from him…? He has nothing left to do, he's lost and subject to manipulation.**

 **Enter Crescent.**

… **.**

 **I'm not gonna spoil what happens in V11, since I'm not a complete asshole and that I'm still not sure how to feel about it, but you should play it and see for yourself what happens in this "Ren-Union". Not saying you're gonna like it, that depends on you.**

…

 **Anyways, to your other points.**

 **Thank you for correcting my terrible misspellings.**

… **Hahhahah, I'm flattered you think I can make you cry…but no, I doubt you'll shed a tear since I'm pretty bad at emotional scenes. The only thing I think I'm semi-competent in is dialogue, or at least keeping characters in character.**

 **Angst has always been a weird term for me, since I see it being used a lot alongside "edgy", but I do try to…"humanize"? Characters as best I can.**

 **Also, that's a neat Omake idea, but I think I'll keep the Omakes as close to the current timeline as I can. I know that everyone reading this has probably already played through Pokemon Rejuvenation, but I want to keep a bit of consistency in my story, and I don't want to lead anyone to believe that the circumstances shown in the omake could be the** _ **exact**_ **same future circumstance. TL;DR, I don't want to misleadingly flash-forward in time, sorry.**

 **Again, I'm absolutely grateful to you for reading this story, and even if you're not reading this, thank you for your criticism.**

 **Mercenary Flyer** **: Honestly Desolation's definitely my favorite game of the three, given that your CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES, MAKING CHARACTERS LIKEABLE, A NICE ART STYLE + CHARACTER PORTRAITS, AND MAKES YOU FEEL ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN STUFF LIKE GIVING YOU A ********

 **Woops, spoilers just in case you haven't gotten there yet...Even if it's been out for years now...**

 **Thanks for reading, and sorry for being so dead!**

 **NagaJule** **: Well, it would be really boring if all this was was a copy and paste without any sort of change, although this is kinda hard given Rejuvenation's plot, but who knows, maybe V11 fixed some of it?**

 **And the next update is…around 6-8 months after posting…I'M SO SORRY!**

 **Thanks for reading! REALLY SORRY ABOUT BEING DEAD!**

 **Sunslash129:** **Short and straight to the point, thanks for reading!**

 **SORRY FOR BEING SO DEAD!**

 **ShadedLightforEveryone** **: THANK YOU!**

 **I plan on adding a few more character interactions and events like that, although that's going to happen a little later on due to how much the 'plot' takes up the beginning of the game. Honestly, I kinda wish that Team Xen was involved later on instead of this early in the game, or at least get a good start instead of being just thrust into it, but I'll do what I can.**

 **SORRY FOR BEING DEAD FOR SO LONG!**

 **RegretfulKishin!** **: Thank you! I actually really enjoy playing around with the eventsi n the game, although it's a bit difficult considering how Rejuv's plot is. Aevis' personality was mostly just based on his design, kinda. He seems kinda emo, although I don't see that as a bad thing, and I worked from there.**

 **SORRY FOR BEING DEAD FOR SO DAMN LONG!**

…

 **Anyways, I was originally going to put an omake here about a** _ **certain**_ **character's backstory, but after plying V11 for a bit, I thought that there my have been a bit off misinformation I put on it, so I decided not to do it.**

 **Also, I was thinking of moving this to ao3. It just feels a lot less...pressured there, compared to this site.  
**

 **Also...I know this probably sounds really out of place, especially after being dead for so long but...I'm just gonna be direct; can one of you guys post this fanfic to one of the reborn evo forums/threads/chat things?...Like, I've seen Rejuvenation fanfiction on there before, including links to fanfics on this site, and some of them are pretty good, and it's interesting seeing other people's opinion on them...I'm really anxious when it comes to being online in general, so the best I can hope for is for someone to notice this fic and to post a link in one of the thread things or something...**

 **I guess this is just because I've seen a few Rejuvenation Fanfic-Links on the threads, and kinda felt left out...I'm really sorry if this sounds presumptuous.**

 **...**

 **So…I guess that's it?**

 **Again, I'm really really really sorry for taking so long to update, and for the sake of not boring you guys, I won't go into details why.**

 **Again, about updates, don't expect anything consistent, nor anything anytime soon...sorry.**

 **Thank you for reading, and have a great day!**


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